SUMMER 2017 33
AN INTEGRATED , LANDSCAPE-LED design by Isthmus Group brings ecology , aesthetics , public amenities and infrastructure together at Kopupaka Park in Westgate , north of Auckland .
Overlapping several different functions , Isthmus used 22 hectares of terrain and storm water catchment as a base to create community open space for the new Westgate town centre .
“ Understanding the engineering requirements allowed us to be able to design an integrated system , reviewing that with the engineers ” said Isthmus director , Grant Bailey . “ Basically , what we did was take control of the earthworks . Where the storm water ponds were created [ three out of six in this part of the project ] came the opportunity to overlap all the varying components – the engineering , the ecology - and to blur it , so the structures function on a number of layers .”
While the client ’ s brief ( in this case , Auckland Council ) was well-written , Bailey said that Isthmus Group recognized the area ’ s potential beyond the brief and provided added value by leveraging the earthworks ’ larger budget to create a park that people could use for many
ABOVE LEFT : Aesthetics , public amenities and infrastructure come together at Kopupaka Reserve .
ABOVE RIGHT : The overall plan of the reserve and waterways . The linear reserve follows a riparian corridor and integrates community amenities with engineering and ecology . Interspersed with stormwater ponds and wetland areas , the reserve ’ s design serves as open space for recreation and helps to manage stormwater .