The redevelopment of WINTEC's central campus in Hamilton presented a unique design challenge for the landscape architectural team. The brief from the client required a landscape that was fully integrated and designed in close liaison with the proposed G Block campus 'hub' building, being created at the same time. Further to this the brief called lor a landscape that engaged and inspired the students, encouraging new enrolments and invigorating existing students.

The following were identified as driving concepts behind the design:

1/ learning environments
The WINTEC redevelopment is based around the theory of creating a 'total learning environment', where the learning is not restricted to the hardware and books within the buildings on campus, but instead forms a key component of the built structures and the landscape setting itself. Innovative techniques were proposed to make this information legible and accessible to a new generation.

2/ connections to the land
Part of the theory behind the learning environment is that of re-connecting students with the history and heritage of the land that the campus siis upon. This is a site that has been sorely mistreated over the years. The redevelopment and educational work undertaken in this project is seen as a way of restoring some of ifs heritage and presence. In today's increasingly technology based society, it is dangerous tor our youth to lose their connections to the land that provides for us.

3/ heritage and history
The site has a rich history, and it is these elements that are used to enliven the 'total learning environment' and reconnect the students with the landscape. Historical aspects such as the constellations that guided pre-European agricultural cycles, the process of flax cultivation and weaving, and Maori and European cropping and orcharding species are all represented in unique and quirky ways to encourage students to engage with their environment.

4/ connections with the built structure
As the landscape and buildings were being developed in tandem, it was an opportunity to drive the same concepts through both aspects of the design. A concept of binding and weaving was used to draw materials, forms and imagery through, over and around both elements. The concept of 'guerrilla education' in the form of stencilling, quotes and websites was applied equally to the buildings and to the hard landscape elements. In a sense, if becomes difficult to draw the line between building and landscape...