Ken Smith, one of the best known of a new generation of landscape architects will be visiting New Zealand as a guest of Unitec Institute of Technology and reset Urban Design.

Recent events in Christchurch have highlighted the need for all of our cities to be resilient and prepared. At the same time, Auckland in particular faces significant growth pressure.

Ken Smith will meet with Auckland Council at a reset Urban Design workshop on Tuesday July 19 to discuss the Auckland Spatial Plan – a 30-year vision and strategy being developed by the newly-established Auckland Council– with the aim of making Auckland the world’s most livable city.

On Wednesday July 20 he will present two one hour Landscape Architecture Lectures at Unitec’s Mt Albert Campus that are open to the public.

The first being held at 12.30pm at Unitec’s Red Lecture Theatre is entitled LOSERS and is a lecture that pairs lost competitions and speculative propositions with later successful built projects and explores the creative process of Ken Smith’s work.

The second which starts at 2pm is called: Big Little Skip the Middle and shows a range of scales of Ken Smith’s projects such as the roof garden he created at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (Moma), the Santa Fe Railyard Park and Plaza and Kid’s Rock Playground.

Ken Smith will also be a panelist at Session One of the Unitec Forum for the Future which will debate the topic: Creating Resilient Communities on Thursday July 21 at Unitec Mt Albert campus.

The Session is being hosted by Unitec’s Department of Landscape Architecture and Architecture.

Other panellists David Shearer MP for Mt Albert; Patrick Clifford, NZIA President; Ludo Campbell Reid, Urban Champion, Auckland Council; developer Brady Nixon; and Matthew Bradbury, a Senior Lecturer in landscape architecture at Unitec.

They will consider whether this will address the critical issues facing Auckland The city’s population is expected to grow by around 800,000 people in the next 20 years. Panellists will consider where will they live? How will they travel around the city? What will happen to Auckland’s unique landscapes?

Event One:

Reset Urban Design and Unitec’s Department of Landscape Architecture have the pleasure of inviting you to two inspirational presentations by prominent New York Landscape Architect Ken Smith: Losers & Big Little Skip The Middle

Venue: Red Lecture Theatre, Unitec, Entry 3 Carrington Road, Mt Albert.
Date: Wednesday 20th July
Time: 12:30 – 3:00pm Refreshments provided 1.30pm - 2:00pm

Event Two:

The Unitec Forum for the Future 2011
Session One: Topic: Creating Resilient Communities

Venue: Unitec Theatre Department of Performing and Screen Arts
Unitec Mt Albert Campus
Entry 1, Carrington Road
Mt Albert
When: Thursday July 21
Time: 6.30 – 8pm