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Eco Village - St Kilda Waterways - Cambridge
THE DEVELOPMENT
St. Kilda Waterways is the proposed Eco-Village on an existing Dairy Farm site in Cambridge. It is an 87 hectare, 285 House Eco-Village Development with average lot sizes of 1200m2 - 1500m2 with larger homes of minimum 200m2. St. Kilda will be the first Sustainable Design concept of its scale and nature to be built in New Zealand. Its unique features include 4 Lakes which have a dual purpose of being aesthetically pleasing and providing storm water control/storage. There is a Central Park linking the 2 largest Lakes, 9km of safe and secure dedicated walkways and cycleways, an Enviroschool Kindergarten and Cafe with live feeds to the Maungatautari Ecological Island Reserve, including the Kiwi Programme. Design Engine Architects are the Urban Designers and Architects for this pioneering project that will establish a new benchmark for living in New Zealand. The development draws its inspiration from International Eco-Village examples, the Waitakere City Council Sustainble Design Guidelines and the Environment Waikato Sustainable Design Framework. The Clients Matt and Mike Smith of Grantchester Farms Ltd are a well established Cambridge Family that are passsionate and dedicated to their Home, Context and Future Development. Mark Wassung has had a 3 year Client Architect relationship with the Smiths. Design Engine Architects and the Smiths are currently involved with other Innovative Projects for the Waipa/Waikato Region. Design Engine Architects have worked well with other Team members Mark Chrisp from EMS - Environmental Management Services and Dean Hermann of Beca Carter Engineers.
ARCHITECT'S DESIGN
Design Engine Architects and Urban Designers have created a unique concept with the use of organically shaped roads, reduced cul-de-sacs, safety slip roads, changes in surface materials to slow vehicular traffic and protect the pedestrian/cyclist. Walkways and Cycleways create good internal connectivity which are in turn connected to a broader context of neighbourhood walkways/cycleways and Cambridge CBD creating good external connectivity. The Design Covenant setup by Design Engine Architects refers to our 10 Point Sustainable Design Green Plan for Subdivisions and Architecture. The underlying principles include the following: obligatory rainwater collection with water storage tanks, photovoltaic cells on the roof for electricity production, solar hot water heating, the long axis of the house orientated to optimise the North aspect, passive solar control, good natural ventilation, recycled grey water for toilet flushing and garden irrigation, double glazing and increased insulation. There is a deliberate attempt with this design to avoid the monotonous, repetitive, brick and tile suburbs that have been allowed to proliferate in New Zealand over the last decade. Streets dominated by "Garage Architecture" are prohibited. The Garage has to be integrated into the composition of the House, hidden or discreetly placed. The Street is given back to the pedestrian/cyclist, boundary walls are discouraged with an emphasis on transparency and natural surveillance, landscaping and a sense of community.
PROJECT STATUS
Design Engine Architects were required to give Evidence as Expert Witness at a Hearing in October 2008 for a Zone Change from Rural to Residential were produced. The project is due to commence construction 2010
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
My name is Matthew Smith and I am one of two directors of St Kilda Waterways. I write this testimonial for Mark and Abigail of Design Engine Architects Ltd with the full support of the other director Mike Smith. We contracted Design Engine Architects Ltd to be part of a team of hand selected trusted professionals. Each professional’s role was to assist us in seeking residential zoning for our eighty eight hectare farm on the northern boundary of Cambridge.
Mark and Abigail were very professional and timely with all tasks requested of them. Their attention to detail and enthusiasm produced well researched evidence which was well received by Waipa District Council’s Regulatory Committee. They also produced sketches, supporting photography and related articles to give intellectual substance to their conclusions.
Mark and Abigail’s responsibilities were to firstly assess our concept plan for its “Urban Design”. They worked collectively with ourselves, our surveyor, and planner to reproduce our proposed concept plan exemplifying modern urban form and flow. They assessed the concept plan based on a number of key considerations which were developed by Mark and Abigail. The outcome produced a modified concept plan that showcased modern urban form. When stress tested by Council staff and their trusted consultants our concept plan was unchallenged and again was well received by the Waipa District Council’s Regulatory Committee.
The second key task that they preformed was to assist our planner in producing detailed planning maps. These maps were used as evidence in the hearing and were consequently adopted by Waipa District Council in approving our land as being suitable for residential development.
We look forward to continuing our professional relationship with Mark and Abigail. We believe they bring a positive and well founded energy which help us to produce New Zealand’s first energy efficient sub division of any scale.
Yours truly
Matt Smith