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Guangzhou GALA Workshop
Posted 22 06 2017 by Henry Crothers
in News
Tamaki Makaurau Design Alliance
Henry Crothers (LandLAB), Mike Thomas (Jasmax) and Garth Falconer (Reset) recently represented the Tamaki Makaurau Design Alliance (TMDA) at a 5 day design workshop in Guangzhou as part of a Guangzhou, Auckland and Los Angeles (GALA) Tripartite Alliance design exchange.
The site visits and workshops were generously hosted by the Guangzhou Planning Institute (GZPI) and involved the collaborative design investigation by designers from Auckland’s TMDA, Guangzhou’s GZPI and Los Angeles of 3 Pearl River regeneration sites.
The three sites – Dashatou Ferry Terminal, Haixinsha Island and Yuzhu Port - all provided different opportunities to re-connect the city and river through the interpretation of ‘water’ in an urban context - a theme that unifies and connects our respective cities.
Shared expertise of river and waterfront design and urban regeneration were used to propose strategic design drivers at a city wide scale and to generate specific approaches for each site.
Final presentations were made to local politicians, academics and GZPI staff generating lively discussion, receiving strong support and acknowledgement of the meaningful contributions made to some real projects.
The workshop provided the opportunity to consolidate the emerging friendship between the 3 cities, the exchange and sharing of ideas and creating opportunities for the TMDA and the GALA alliance into the future. The work generated at the workshop is anticipated to inform the ongoing development of these projects and the basis of further engagement at the formal GALA Tripartite Summit to be held in Guangzhou in late November.