Kyle Ramsey, finalist
Kyle Ramsey, Unitec Architecture Department.
Photo by David St George
Kyle Ramsey, from the Unitec Department of Architecture, was a finalist with his project ‘Dirty Old Town’.
Project description
In this examination of an architectural connection between New Plymouth's coastal walkway and Pukerua Park, the Huatoki River is revaled as a device that could unpick a legacy of poor urban planning decisions. In this study, the environmental, cultural and industrial heritage of the river is drawn out into new public spaces, squares and green “rooms”, spaces connected by an elevated walkway that allows glimpses into revitalised industrial buildings.
Citation
Like the poet Ewan MacColl, Kyle’s ‘Dirty Old Town’ was found right under his nose – and, once he’d located it, he set about planning ways to reconnect it with its natural treasures. In Kyle’s hands, New Plymouth’s ‘old canal’, the Huatoki River, is restored to its full dignity, the tyranny of transport planners is overcome, and key moments – designed as “rooms” between mountain and sea – are celebrated.
