a ir -l ine [s eeing the c ity ]

a P olycentric c ity Lesley Chen

Existing Residential Road Use

Christchurch is the gateway to the South Island and recognized for its abundant arable land by
its name as the Garden City. After being hit by a number of strong earthquakes, many of the
city’s beautiful buildings were destroyed including the iconic Christchurch Cathedral.
The design intent of this project is to make the travel route from the Christchurch International
Airport through to the city centre more time efficient as well as cost efficient, also to highlight the
inherent assets of the Garden City that are currently there but un-expressed, allowing passengers
travelling into the city a way to experience the beauty of the context.
Case studies were made comparing it to the Stockholm Arlanda Airport and the Hong Kong
Chek Lap Kok Airport, which are being developed into Aertropoli (airport cities). The Christchurch
International Airport has the advantage of having its CBD that has closer proximity to it compared
to the two; however, the Christchurch Airport being a destination hub and not a transfer hub, this
does not fulfil the requirement for an airport to be developed into an Aerotropolis.
lanes are laid to create a safer environment for cyclers as Christchurch is pushing itself to be the
Section also shows the proposed replanting of
city for cyclers. trees on the berm, they not only can act as a natural
barrier for passengers on the monorail to see into the
Investigations were carried out on four chosen sections (residential, suburban, park and urban) houses, and for them to be able to see the treetops.
along the proposed monorail route, intending to look at existing road layouts and propose new This, hoping to draw out a better perspective for first
layouts (if necessary) to incorporate the introduction of the rail structure. time travellers of Christchurch.
With proposal made for road layout changes, the rail structure is in place for allowing connection Road use is designed for better flow of traffic.
on the route proposed connecting the airport and central city.
Pedestrian footpath and berm narrowed to allow the
The passenger rail hub design is inspired by the Gothic arch; it corresponds to the vault structure
road itself to widen up to have the bus lane on the
that it is sitting on. The roof is composed of two point-facing arches, one bigger than the other, inner road during peak hours.
the smaller being the end of the hub, where passenger cannot access, and the bigger being
the hub exit for passengers. The curved staircase is also composed by a larger arch, creating
a grand staircase down to the pedestrian footpath, where the passengers enter and exit the

10m
Throughout the research and analysis from the case studies, one of the main issues identified hub. The staircase bends over the rail line, where the monorail drives right under the staircase,
when compared to the Christchurch Airport was that the travel route from the CBD into the airport creates an open and accessible area for passengers to flow through.

is time and cost efficient in Stockholm and Hong Kong, however with their airports at a greater
distance away from their CBD, their travel route takes the same amount of time as you would
travel from the Christchurch CBD into the airport, with the distance being only ten kilometres.
The design of a monorail route directly connecting the airport, driving through Memorial
Avenue, Fendalton Road, Hagley Park and final through to the city centre. The intention is to
directly connect the city centre and the airport, creating an instant and fast connection allowing
passengers to travel more efficiently, as well as acting as infrastructure for future development.
Once the route is set up, it will act as a core spine for development to be made around the airport
area. The monorail system employed in this design uses hybrid technology, combining fossil fuel
and electricity which benefits Christchurch to become a more sustainable city in the working.
The design inspiration comes from the door of the old gothic Christchurch Cathedral, an arch;
symbolises a doorway into Christchurch. Not only the arch can be multiplied to make vaults,
bearing weight of the rail piece, it is also a metaphor and reminiscence of the cathedral which
is being demolished.
8m
The hub design will be placed at every stop along the proposed route. Changes are made
depending on the different conditions of the road layouts throughout the residential, suburban,
park and urban areas.
The proposal of the monorail route creates a gateway into Christchurch for passengers
arriving at the Christchurch International Airport, with design inspirations from the iconic Gothic
Christchurch Cathedral. With intension to highlight the underlying and un-expressed beauty of
the Christchurch City, the examples of proposed sections on the route have had a series of road
layout alterations.
The key issue highlighted during the research phase of the project, will hope to improve with
the proposed placement of the rail structure. The monorail system employed in the proposal
runs on hybrid fuel and electricity, cutting down emission to allow Christchurch to become a
better and greener city. Not only that the monorail will be fastest route connecting the airport and
central city, creating an infrastructure for faster movement, which would aid development around
ProPosed residential section

4m
the airport area in the future. The rail also raises the passengers to the point higher than street
The structure is made with the combination of a series of Quadripartite vaults along the street, housing, allowing them to see the panoramic view of Christchurch, allowing them to repaint the
not only the monorail runs on the top of the vaults using a rail piece, inside the vaults, new cycle image of that Christchurch as the Garden City.

Existing Suburban Road Use

Section shows that the suburban housing are they
newer type of housing typology, they are taller and
are closer to the road comparing to the residential
housing.

Trees removed from the verge will be proposed to

be replanted on the berm next to the existing trees,
in time, it will form a natural hedge acting as a road
buffer between the pedestrian footpath and the road.

Section BB
Showing interior space with stairs leading up to landing and stairs of entrance from footpath. Please note that the
arches have been taken out of this section.

ProPosed suburban section

Mcleans Island Rd

Nth
rd Rd
Orcha

yRd
CHRISTCHURCH

Russle
INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT

Wa
ira kei
Terminal ANTARCTIC Rd
CENTRE

RUSSLEY
GOLF
Rd

COURSE
nd
Pou

M
em
Existing Park Use
or
Avo ial
nhe Av
e
ad R
d The proposed park section suggests that a wider use
Avo
nh
of public space, with the introduction of the monorail
ead
R d hub into the park makes the park easier to access
for tourists, as the Botanic Gardens is very closely
located.
d
ys R
Gra

Rd
sley
Rus

Rya
ns R
d

Hel
Bealey Ave Bealey Ave

mor

Du

Churchill Rd
es St

Rh
Doilians Rd
St
l Rd Otley Rd Amuri Park

b
od

Kn
es
Mil

Madras St
lin
od

Durham St Nth

Colombo St
Montreal St
es
Peacock St

Vic

ox
Mill
Rh

Manchester St
ton

St
St
Carl

Rd
Melrose Rd

Park
Barbadoes

bank

tori
St
nd Cemetery
mo set
Rd
Beveridge St
Des Moa Rd

aS
Rd
Dor

Tce
Cambridge Tce

Fe

t
Aberdeen St
Little Hagley Park

nd
Conference St Gracefield St Ely Rd

Wes

Ely Rd
Ulster Rd
alt

Ox
Bangor Rd
t

on

twoo
dS
Harper Ave

for
o Airdalr St
Wo Willow Rd

Rd

dT
d St
Salisbury St Salisbury St

ce
Peterborough La Hurley Rd
Rees St
Hagley Park North Peterborough St
Nova St

Kilmore St Kilmore St
Kilmarnock

Dawson St
Cranmer
Square
Chester St East
ce

Section AA
Chester St
rd T
Oxfo

Fitzgerald Ave
Victoria
Square
Armagh St Armagh St

New Regent St
Colombo St
Showing interior space with door hub doors in place with the arrival of a train.

Armagh Ct
Gression St

Barabadoes St
Gloucester St Gloucester St

Deans Ave

Chancery St
Cambridge

Oxford Tce

Latimer
CATHEDRAL

Square
Botanic Gardens Worcester St Worcester St
SQUARE

Tattersalla St Tramway St
Rolleston Ave
Hereford St Hereford St

Liverpool St

Woolslack St
Ricca
rton Cashel St Cashel St

Clarkson Rd
Hig

St
Ave

Plymouth

Kivers St
h Bedford Row
St

B
Lichfield St

Gilmours St
Oxford

Duke Rd
Poplar St
Tce Struthers St Ash Rd

Barabadoes St
Hagley Park South Tuam St Tuam St

Duke Rd
Mollett St

Blenheim

ProPosed Park section

St Asaph St

Fitzgerald Ave
St Asaph St

Stewart Rd
Alfred St
Welles Rd

Willams St
Gull St
Durham St
Southwark Rd Ferr
y Rd

Anitgua St
Walker Rd

Atlas Rd
Acton Rd Winchcombe Rd

Deans Ave
Allen Rd
e

Colombo St

Manchester St
v Wa
le yA lle
rR Balfour Rd Halkett St Wilmer Rd Alcester St Rope St
CPIT

Madras St
Selwyn Rd
d
g Dundas St Eaton St
Ha

Montreal St
Bath Rd
Horatio Rd avid Mortimer St

St D
Moorhouse Ave Moorhouse Ave

Existing Urban Road Use

The proposed urban section shows how closely the
housing is located to the road.

The rail structure allowing cyclists to go straight into

the city centre, also allowing a lane for buses during
peak hours as the streets do not have as many lanes

A A as residential and suburban areas.

B
Illustration showing plan of passenger hub, reflecting the arch-inspired roof and staircase. ProPosed urban section
Air-Line [Serving the City]
Emma Farmer

This design addresses the programming of land use and massing of buildings against open space around the
Christchurch International Airport. The proposal aims to design a framework that connects the airport with the
industrial corridor and allows future business and industrial growth around the airport. The existing rail line which
cuts through the middle of Christchurch (along the North-South axis) is moved west, acting as a band to restrict
urban sprawl and a tool for maximising efficiency. The new proposed train line provides the necessary infrastructure
for future growth and increases productivity in cargo transportation through its direct connection with the airport.
The land use zones around the airport have been reorganized and woven together to a greater efficiency in
?
movement and circulation with consideration of various methods: walking circulation, vehicle circulation and train
circulation. The interlocking of zones creates shared spaces which encourages engagement between the different
companies and enriches the community environment. The design highlights the importance of considering urban
spaces to aid efficiency in movement and increase the quality of life for the inhabitants.

-11.64%

28.24%

+4.98%

54.17%

+0.38%
5.12%
+1.07%

+0.72% +1.58% +0.67%

+0.70%
2.46% +0.17%
1.97% 2.13%
+0.61%
1.43% +0.12% 1.29%
+0.04% +0.28% +0.32%
0.53% 0.20% 0.24% 0.43% 0.34% 0.55% 0.37% 0.53%
Antarctic Voyages Food Other Car Services
Accommodation Logistics School Shops Green Space
Rental Cars Post
Industrial Offices
Airline Service & Support

Recreation

Airport
oPen green Corridor

Rural
land use Zones
A
AIRPORT
1
AIRPORT
Callout showing how the various zones and passenger
AIRPORT AIRPORT AIRPORT LOGISTICS AIRPORT
hub connect to the train line
AIRLINE SERVICE & SUPPORT SCHOOL
LOGISTICS RECREATION RECREATION INDUSTRIAL LOGISTICS
ANTARCTIC VOYAGES POST
POST RENTAL CARS RENTAL CARS OTHER CARS POST
LOGISTICS OTHER CARS
ACCOMMODATION ACCOMMODATION OFFICES
INDUSTRIAL

FOOD
SHOPS
RECREATION
OFFICES
INDUSTRIAL

INDUSTRIAL
FOOD

FOOD
SHOPS
ANTARCTIC VOYAGES

FOOD

FOOD
SHOPS

SCHOOL

SHOPS
GREEN SPACE

GREEN SPACE
OFFICES

RENTAL CARS
POST

FOOD
SHOPS

ACCOMMODATION

AIRLINE SERVICE & SUPPORT

RENTAL CARS
FOOD
SHOPS

POST
GREEN SPACE

ACCOMMODATION
Cargo Train ClusTer airPorT ClusTer Passenger Train ClusTer TourisT ClusTer Workers ClusTer Cargo ClusTer loCal serviCes ClusTer

2
Callout showing how the various programs weave
together creating clusters of zones around a shared
green space

3
Callout showing how the green spaces cut into the zones
to create shared spaces and help foster a community
environment

Airport Antarctic Voyages Rental Cars Logistics

Airline Service & Support Post Other Car Services Industrial

Green Space Shops School Offices Cargo line Passenger hub Cargo inTerChange
Y
50m 100m 200m
Recreation Food Accommodation Rural X

A’ siTe Plan

1 5 10m 25m 50m

seCTion aa’