Unitec Landscape Design Students—1 October 2013

A group of students from Unitec’s Department of Landscape Architecture are doing a real world assignment at CUE Haven, and today they visited to learn more about our restoration project and to identify areas where they can assist.

The visit was organised by Ian Henderson, Program Director, Landscape Design, and included students Alicia, Alisa, Eleanor, Gary, Jala, Sharon, Sid and Val.

You might be surprised to hear that CUE Haven, a project to create a native New Zealand forest, would have a need for talented landscape architects, because we usually think that landscape architects design home gardens.  However, the scope of the Unitec School of Landscape Design is much broader.  Students in the programme focus on ecological restoration, revitalisation of civic space, urban fringes and infrastructural wastelands as well as innovative residential garden design.

Unitec students will be helping us enhance future visitor experience by identifying ways to manage interfaces between nature and people within the CUE Haven space.  They will be looking at the siting of the future CUE Haven Learning Centre, the design of rest and observation areas, walking track design and layout and artwork.

The group arrived shortly after 9:30 and over morning tea we got acquainted.  We gave the students an overview of the CUE Haven project and had them tell us about themselves, their areas of interest and what they hoped to achieve from the visit.

Before we took the group on a tour of the property, Ian reviewed the objectives and the different issues the students would need to consider.

We showed them the different phases and aspects of the restoration project and students took the opportunity to takes notes and photos for future reference.

We also took a leisurely walk through the gully to provide the students with a good overview of the variety of landscapes on the property.

We then wrapped up with a discussion of next steps over lunch.

It was a very worthwhile visit.  The group was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and came up with a lot of great insights and observations, and we really appreciate their time and interest in the CUE Haven project.  And a special thanks to Ian and senior lecturer Penny Cliffin for making the visit possible.

We very much look forward to meeting Ian and the students later in the month and seeing their creative ideas for enhancing visitor experience.