Article by Joanna Łaska – La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting Project, by Boffa Miskell, in Auckland, New Zealand. Auckland’s La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting project by Boffa Miskell is an outstanding example of design work that can bring us closer to nature. It embodies the very nature of ecology and sustainability, and is one of these projects that grasps ecological, cultural, and community values and brings them all together to create a space for people to enjoy and learn from.
La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting. Photo credit: Boffa Miskell
Daylighting Project
1. Hard Work Always Pays Off
The La Rosa Stream project didn’t just jump from the design page to reality. It required a lot of hard work from the designers and contractors who met challenges involving design, consent, and construction. The project required the removal of 5,000 cubic meters of natural clay. The next step involved bringing up 200 meters of watercourse that had previously flowed through underground 100mm- to 1,350mm-diameter pipes – that meant that the contractors had to remove 180 meters of underground pipes. Bringing the water up was just a small part of the whole project: Once the water was up, it had to be given a natural look.
La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting. Photo credit: Boffa Miskell
La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting. Photo credit: Boffa Miskell
2. Details Make the Difference
The La Rosa project is an exquisite example of thoughtful landscape planning and superb detailing. Everything about this project seems to be carefully thought out: Every single stone placement seems to be planned, and that is what makes this design a role model for all landscape architects – for those who are less experienced and for those who have already made hundreds of projects in their career.
La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting. Photo credit: Boffa Miskell
La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting. Photo credit: Boffa Miskell
La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting. Photo credit: Boffa Miskell
3. The Most Liveable City in the World
La Rosa is the first-ever dedicated stream daylighting project in Auckland. It is part of the city mayor’s 100 projects to make Auckland “the most liveable city in the world”. It was designed to not only restore the natural stream, but also to reuse and embody the energy in that place. The project is mostly made of natural and reused elements. However, the project also has another purpose: to bring the Auckland community together.
La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting. Photo credit: Boffa Miskell
La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting. Photo credit: Boffa Miskell
La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting. Photo credit: Boffa Miskell
La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting. Photo credit: Boffa Miskell
4. Learning from Nature
Despite the construction of the project being an expensive exercise, the hard work and investment will definitely pay off in the long term, as having a natural stream rather than a huge amount of underground pipes that need upgrading and maintenance is always a financial benefit. However, the project’s success is not just being calculated in numbers, but in the development of knowledge in hydrology and ecology.
La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting. Photo credit: Boffa Miskell
La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting. Photo credit: Boffa Miskell
Full Project Credits For La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting Project:
Project Name: La Rosa Reserve Stream Daylighting Design: Boffa Miskell Location: Auckland, New Zealand Date of Completion: 2012 Recommended Reading:
- Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Bayer
- Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs
- eBooks by Landscape Architects Network
Article by Joanna Łaska
Published in Blog
