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(I’m)permeable: How can a contemporary installation practice provide understandings of permeability through the embodiments of rituals?
No full textArtists, thinkers, and everybody, vaguely works under the same conditions we agree upon as life. As does the matter that composes them and their worlds. (I’m)permeable—is a body of shorthand long-form written observations in the form of the exegesis.
A provisional response to the research question:
How can a contemporary installation practice provide understandings of permeability through the embodiments of rituals?
Working definitions of the ritual, embodying, and permeability, and their manifestations throughout contemporary landscapes are taken to be movements of currency through the ever-present precedents.
The field of influences regard the intangible and physical materials in the same manner, realising a potential for them in present spaces and embodiments. While being present is becoming more of a checkbox, performance review, or mindfulness app interaction. An alertness, awareness, or an understanding solicits a keenness to the fore. The putting together of a thing, or an -ism, a bunch of references and touchstones cobbled together over time. Systems and frameworks, like symbols and their meanings, are expected to have their duration and powers, like trendy ingredients and far-right imagery they are fickle and rapidly phase between things and their embodiments.
The architecture of the cobbling of touchstones imagery is more modular and serviceable, now with design flair. Readily available and more than inspired, understandings are available to all forms of bodies like fast fashion, and the selection of “clean cars” these days—systems of references have “finite” and almost disposable qualities, having. subsequent effects on their embodiments and signifiers.
The research identifies the temporalities of states and spaces in which these movements and points of stasis occur through an identifying of permeability. Machinations of culture, craft, and the climates in which they operate, and how they produce and service the identities that comprise their relations, are focussed through an individual perspective. Applying personal experiences through an autoethnographic model is a process within the processes of understanding and embodying rituals —through which I have produced this body of research and the subsequent bodies of work
The evolution of citizen science: An Aotearoa New Zealand case study
No full textRestoration: native habitat, eradication of invasive species, species translocations
The volunteers
Types of citizen science: contributory, collaborative, co-created, collegial, contractual
Examples of citizen science at Tiritiri Matangi
Stakeholder roles
Citizen science participation
Summar
Work-Integrated Learning: Shaping employability skills for the future
No full textOver the last five years the employability skills sought by business has changed. This trend will continue due to the increasing impact of automation, outsourcing and information and communication technology (ICT) in the workplace.
Work-integrated learning courses, offered in many business qualifications, play a crucial role in developing employability skills. It is in the workplace that students’ practice, develop, and acquire new skills and dispositions. These learning opportunities are valued by students, employers and academics (Jackson, 2013, Patrick, 2008, Leong, 2013).
The research goal is to identify emerging employability skills required by business, government and NGOs for workplace success. The research methodology employed a systematic review of the literature on emerging business skills. Skills were identified, and categorised. Skills identified by this process were derived from current approaches to workplace collaboration grounded in agile, lean and project management practice
Thesis review: Creating appreciation and community support for mothers caring for a child with anxiety disorder by Kristi Shaw
No full textKristi Shaw has completed an exceptional piece of research, providing critical analysis and originality in her dissertation Creating appreciation and community support for mothers caring for a child with anxiety disorder. She has completed a substantial dissertation that would achieve the goal of a thesis at a higher credit level.
Shaw’s inside knowledge of caring for a child with anxiety disorder has been applied to this project. The research involves an ambitious application of appreciative inquiry to the task of supporting a group of mothers to take action on the needs of their children with high anxiety. She has made a strong case for addressing the problem of people globally experiencing increasing levels of anxiety and targeting the unique challenges for parents who have children living with the ‘invisible’ impairment of anxiet
Ecological communities of Aotearoa / New Zealand species threatened by myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii (G. Winter) Beenken): The flora and mycobiota of the endemic genus Lophomyrtus Burret
No full textThe invasive rust Austropuccinia psidii, responsible for myrtle rust disease, poses a serious threat to the New Zealand Myrtaceae. Since the 2017 detection of Austropuccinia psidii i n A otearoa / N ew Z ealand, t he rust has spread rapidly, resulting in the decline and death of a range of indigenous Myrtaceae, most notably the two species of the endemic genus Lophomyrtus, ramarama (L. bullata) and rōhutu (L. obcordata). While the threat Austropuccinia psidii poses to Lophomyrtus is now widely recognised, the indirect impact the rust has on the associated biota is poorly understood. Very little has been documented about the biota found in association with Lophomyrtus. To rectify this, we undertook a survey of the specimens held in three of the key Aotearoa / New Zealand herbaria that had been collected from Lophomyrtus. This was supplemented by field work in eight sites in western Te Ika a Maui / North Island, and north-western Te Wai Pounamu / South Island of Aotearoa / New Zealand. Although the herbarium searches located few specimens, and field work was limited to a few sample points within the range of Lophomyrtus, we found 221 taxa associated with Lophomyrtus, 176 taxa on ramarama, 81 on rōhutu and one on the naturally occurring hybrid between these two species Lophomyrtus ×ralphii. Of the 176 taxa found on ramarama, 59 are bryophytes (one hornwort, 33 liverworts and 25 mosses), five pteridophytes, 16 spermatophytes and 96 are lichenised mycobiota. Rōhutu supported 81 taxa: comprising one cyanobacterium, one alga, twentynine bryophytes (17 liverworts and 12 mosses), four pteridophytes, two spermatophytes and 44 lichenised mycobiota. Wild populations of Lophomyrtus ×ralphii were not investigated, and herbarium searches only disclosed one plant, the mistletoe Korthalsella lindsayi, associated with it. Several lichens and liverworts collected from Lophomyrtus represent potentially new species, and Lepra erythrella is a new addition to the lichenised mycobiota of Aotearoa / New Zealand. None of the putative new species are endemic to Lophomyrtus
Way back home: A new care environment for dementia
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION
How can architectural stimulation improve the wellbeing of individuals with dementia in care facilities?”
ABSTRACT
50 million people are living with dementia and an estimated 70,000 of those are in New Zealand. These numbers are expected to double every twenty years, which means dementia cases in New Zealand could reach around 170,000 by 2050. The diagnosis drastically affects an individual’s lifestyle due to brain deterioration, leading to difficulty in performing basic daily tasks and the effect on memory and thinking with time. As there is no cure, people with dementia rely on 24 hour care that nursing homes are able to provide. However, these spaces are designed with regards to efficiency and health requirements, resulting in an institutionalised environment with little to no attention to the needs outside medical care. Due to the lack of understanding about this disease in New Zealand, people with dementia are treated differently and the idea of nursing homes is stigmatised in many cultures.
This project proposes to identify a range of elements that can work together to create an architectural form in order to argue against the stigmatisation of nursing/ retirement facilities. In order to produce an environment that is mentally stimulating for those with dementia and positively affects the overall wellbeing of the residents on the site. This has led to the research question: “How can architectural stimulation improve the wellbeing of individuals with dementia in care facilities?” By identifying dementia-friendly design methods beyond basic needs, innovation is achieved by including cultural ideologies of care of elderly family members. In order to provide a space that encourages community awareness, education and opportunities for growth in self-esteem for dementia-diagnosed individuals. This environment provides for its primary residents with dementia and the needs of secondary occupants on the site, such as staff and family.
The research is introduced through understanding the cause, stages and effects dementia has on an individual compared to someone who is not diagnosed, followed by identifying a range of dementia-friendly design principles, through focusing on possibilities and not the limitations of a person with dementia. In order to achieve a new design, which eventually aims to provide fulfilling lifestyle for their time in care. Elements are found through design theories, existing health design strategies, amenities required for the care and possible new forms of elements relating to the physiological stimulation of the brain. Analysis of both the existing care facility on the selected site of Summerset by the Park and of modern health care facilities specifically designed for dementia, has been used to identify the innovations occurring outside of standardised architecture for care homes and applied in this project.
The project redesigns the retirement facility of Summerset by the Park in Flatbush, Auckland. This redesign focuses on accommodating dementia-diagnosed individuals and acts as one of the pillars of wellbeing in Ormiston. This is accomplished through encouraging the surrounding community to become a part of a new care environment that challenges the stigmatised ideas of a nursing home. The inclusion of the community eliminates social boundaries and raises awareness. Through the use of disguised care, this care environment helps those with dementia to have freedom without being confined to a room and encourages exploration in a safe and supporting environment, overall showcasing how architecture has the power to contribute positively to the care of dementia.
Site: Sumerset by the Park, Flat Bush, Auckland, New Zealan
Translation and continuity of tradition: An ongoing dialogue in Aotearoa New Zealand
No full textEnglish and Spanish parallel text
Though short, Aotearoa/New Zealand’s history is rich and holds an abundance of knowledge preserved in the form of songs, beliefs, practices, and narratives that inform this country’s unique place in the world as well as the identity of its people. This paper observes that with migratory history and a heritage of colonization, the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand express three identities: indigenous, colonial and migrant, all with a claim to appropriate representation in the country’s built fabric. It discusses the current state of knowledge by looking at the history and architectural tradition manifested in Auckland, the largest and fastest-growing city in Aotearoa. It adds that further research is required to understand and develop an appropriate methodology to address Auckland’s growing multiculturalism, which lacks adequate expression.
Aunque breve, la historia de Aotearoa-Nueva Zelanda es rica y encierra infinidad de conocimientos preservados en forma de canciones, creencias, prácticas y narraciones que explican el lugar único de este país en el mundo, así como la identidad de su gente. Este artículo de investigación muestra que, con la historia de las migraciones y de la colonización como patrimonio, la gente de Aotearoa-Nueva Zelanda expresa tres identidades: indígena, colonial y emigrante, que reclaman una representación adecuada en el tejido urbano Se plantea un debate en torno al actual estado de los conocimientos mediante el estudio de la historia y la tradición arquitectónica, que se pone de manifiesto en la ciudad de Auckland, la ciudad más grande de Aotearoa y la que más deprisa crece. Se sostiene que hace falta seguir investigando para comprender y desarrollar una metodología adecuada para abordar el creciente multiculturalismo de Auckland, que carece de una expresión adecuada
Breathing retraining benefit’s women’s blood pressure and mental well-being during COVID-19 responses
No full textRESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1. To assess twenty female volunteers' recall, implementation, and maintenance of healthy lifestyle behavior recommendations
2. To measure the incidence of symptoms and signs of DB in eleven female volunteers
3. To evaluate whether breathing retraining (brief education and paced breathing intervention for four weeks) modifies DB symptoms/signs, BP, HRV, psychological stress, and mental well-being measure
4. To determine if participants think breathing retraining is feasible to support their physical and mental well-being self-efficacy
ABSTRACT
Raised blood pressure (BP) is the greatest contributor to women’s cardiovascular disease and death. While the link between night-time dysfunctional breathing (DB) and BP is known, the incidence of daytime DB and its contribution to health concerns in the general population is unclear. This study aimed to assess the relationship between daytime DB and mental and physical health.
DB, BP, heart rate variability, and mental well-being were assessed in eleven women (age 47.8±12 years; weight 81.5±18.4 kg; height 167.9±7.3 cm; BMI 29.1±7.6 kg/m2) before and after a four-week breathing retraining intervention. An interview collected participant thoughts to gauge the benefits, difficulties, and feasibility of breathing retraining. Non-parametric and thematic analyses were employed.
Following the intervention, overall DB reduced by 54.5%. Statistically significant changes were observed in the self-evaluation of breathing (p = 0.005) and Nijmegen questionnaires (p = 0.003), STOPBANG (p = 0.014), systolic BP (p < 0.05 ), perceived stress (p = 0.007), and well-being (p = 0.009).
Targeted breathing retraining has the potential to mitigate stress-related mental/physical illness during unpredictable and persistent life stressors. All participants stated they would continue with paced breathin
Living bridge
No full textREEARCH QUESTIONS
• How can the user's experience of Read Bridge be enhanced by making it habitable while maintaining its primary function and stability?
• What does the inhabited bridge rely on to attract people to it?
• Which influential architectural design features would enhance the mental, physical and emotional human experiences of people using the bridge?
ABSTRACT
Human well-being and the economy rely heavily on the availability of transport infrastructures. Bridges are an integral part of the transportation infrastructure. When architecture is applied with a more people-focused approach, it can provide wider social benefits. The inhabited bridges not only provide vital connectivity, but they are also considered a cornerstone of the community and are of substantial emotional value.
This project explores potential options for the adoption and habitation of an existing bridge's unused space without hindering its original primary function. This project will investigate how influential architectural features enhance human experiences in a public space. The habitable bridge concept can be a workable solution in the land-scarce urban centres of the modern landscape. The premise of the project is to examine existing architectural structures and their execution to enable multiple urban functions for both financial and social advantages. The challenge would be to reconcile architecture and infrastructure in the River Valley on the island of Singapore. This research will endeavour to develop an architectural solution to adapt the existing Read Bridge, Clarke Quay, without affecting the stability and primary function of the structure.
A case study approach has been initiated with the aim to research and obtain in-depth information about both historical and modern inhabited bridge designs. The case study will be supported by a relevant literature review, precedent analysis and site mapping. The objective of the project is to revitalise the communities in proximity to the structure as well as create valuable real estate for the benefit of the country.
Site: Read Bridge, Clarke Quay, Singapor
Covid-19 vaccine related uptake in Ga-68 DOTATATE scan
No full textA 43-year-old woman with a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour (NET) history was scheduled for a routine surveillance Gallium-68-DOTATATE PET/CT scan. The patient reported recent immunisation for Covid (Pfizer BioN-Tech) in their left arm two weeks prior to the examination