Masters Theses

Permanent link for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/5

The Masters Theses collection contains digital copies of AUT University masters theses deposited with the Library since 2002 and made available open access. From 2007 onwards, all theses for masters degrees awarded are required to be deposited in Tuwhera Open Theses & Dissertations unless subject to an embargo.

For theses submitted prior to 2007, open access was not mandatory, so only those theses for which the author has given consent are available in Tuwhera Open Theses & Dissertations. Where consent for open access has not been provided, the thesis is usually recorded in the AUT Library catalogue where the full text, if available, may be accessed with an AUT password. Other people should request an Interlibrary Loan through their library.

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Cities in Bloom: Rewilding Urban Spaces for a Walkable, Regenerative Future
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Hutchins, Sam
Cities in Bloom is a practice-led architectural thesis, undertaken for a Master of Architecture at Auckland University of Technology, that explores how rewilding can serve as a regenerative design framework for reshaping urban ecologies. Situated within Auckland’s Central Business District, the project investigates how architecture might facilitate coexistence between humans and non-humans by restoring lost ecologies and re-imagining the city as an active, living system. Wellesley Street stands as the core focus of the research, a spine that paves its way through the heart of the CBD intersecting with Queen Street and its connection out to the Waitemata Harbour. Through Queen Street, the project follows the contours of the buried Waihorotiu Stream, a forgotten ecology left dormant beneath our feet, which carries an innate potential to restore and reconnect the human to the natural world. Wellesley Street offers opportunity to link two underutilised green spaces, Victoria Park and Albert Park, creating a continuous ecological zone that spans the city, diverting down its many industrialised streets and transforming the CBD into a place of ecology rather than urbanism. The research is theoretically grounded through the philosophy of kinship and vibrant matter. Deborah Bird Rose’s concept of kinship reframes nature not as an external resource but as an extension of family; to think through kinship is to understand that the human and non-human fall under the same obligations. Care, responsibility, and respect unite life, encouraging an ethic of participation rather than dominance. Jane Bennett’s theory of vibrant matter complements this view by asserting that all material possesses vitality and agency. Matter is not inert. It is a form that acts, responds, and transforms in relation to its surroundings, within architecture it implies that all things hold ecological significance beyond just their utility. Terrapin Bright Greens’ framework in the form of the 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design lays the foundation for what the thesis aims to achieve. It is built from this set of patterns that the project grounds its roots. A reconstructed framework in the form of The 6 Patterns of Rewild-ed is formed, which entails a move from the anthropocentric to an ecocentric lens, and adopting instead an eco-centric lens. Ecocentrism refers to a viewpoint that design is not limited to the human, but needs to extend beyond, placing the non-human along the same plane of importance and tending to its needs just as much as ours. Based on these considerations, a proposal is developed that re-imagines Wellesley Street as a living ecological corridor. The proposition is inherently speculative, imaging a future in which humans and non-humans coexist through layered urban ecologies. A radical re-configuration of spatial hierarchy is implemented through lifting human inhabitation above the ground plane, into rooftop glasshouse typologies and elevated walkways in which they traverse the city. The streetscape returns to nature, becoming an active ecosystem, allowing living systems to reestablish and move freely through an urban landscape. Cities in Bloom explores the potential of cities, a future where the built form and living ecology merge, trans-forming landscape into zones of connection, vitality, and kinship.
Machine Learning-based Detection of Pitching Patterns in Major League Baseball: An Analysis of Pitch Metrics Prior to Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Ozaki, Ryotaro
Purpose: Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCLR) is the most prevalent surgically treated injury among Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers, yet early detection of pre-surgical biomechanical deterioration remains limited. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an unsupervised machine learning-based anomaly detection framework capable of identifying multivariate pitching metric changes in MLB pitchers in the period preceding UCLR. Methods: Pitch-tracking data from Statcast were collected for 46 MLB pitchers who underwent primary UCLR between 2016 and 2024. Pitcher-specific vanilla autoencoders were trained on game-level aggregated pitching metrics spanning a 400-day baseline window (200–600 days before last appearance) and applied across a 200-day detection window (0–200 days before last appearance). Reconstruction error served as the anomaly detection metric. Six pitch types were analysed: four-seam fastball, sinker, slider, cutter, changeup, and curveball. Five percentile-based reconstruction error thresholds (90th to 99th) were evaluated. As an exploratory validation analysis, a propensity score-matched control group of 45 non-UCLR pitcher pairs was employed to contextualise the specificity of the pre-surgical signal. Results: Mean per-game reconstruction error escalated from 0.877 (151–200 days before last appearance) to 2.326 (0–50 days), representing a 2.7-fold increase with a broadly monotonic trajectory. At the 95th percentile threshold, anomaly rates were 67.2%, 76.4%, 71.0%, and 73.6% across the 151–200, 101–150, 51–100, and 0–50 day bins respectively. Escalation ratios increased monotonically with threshold stringency (p90: 0.98; p99: 1.18), with the most extreme deviations concentrated in the final 50 days. Feature-level analysis identified a two-phase deterioration structure: an early phase characterised by elevated slider movement and cumulative workload errors, followed by a late phase dominated by a 24-fold escalation in changeup usage error and sharp increases in rest interval deviation. In the exploratory matched control comparison, UCLR pitchers showed a statistically significant difference in median reconstruction error relative to matched controls in the proximate pre-surgical window (W = 1245, p = 0.036), with no equivalent directional escalation observed in controls. A Bonferroni-corrected comparison of multivariate and univariate detection identified only marginal gains from multivariate encoding in detection sensitivity, though the autoencoder provided structural interpretability and coherent feature-pattern identification not available through univariate monitoring. Conclusion: Pitcher-specific autoencoder models applied to Statcast pitch-tracking data can identify progressive multivariate deterioration in the period preceding UCLR, with a signal that appears at least partially specific to the pre-surgical period relative to matched controls. These findings suggest that routine monitoring of individualised pitching profiles may provide a clinically actionable detection window prior to UCL failure.
Youth Athletes’ Perceptions of the Sport Experiences Led by Coaches Who Participated in the Coaching for Impact Programme: An Interpretive Description
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Owers, Ben
This study explored youth athletes’ perceptions of the sport experiences led by coaches who had completed Sport New Zealand | Ihi Aotearoa’s Coaching for Impact coach development programme. Existing literature highlights that developing community sport coaches is complex and that the effectiveness of coach development initiatives should be evaluated beyond coach learning alone. Accordingly, this research examined how the coaching approaches of those involved in the contemporary, nationally led programme influenced the quality of youth sport experiences, as described by their participants. The study was informed by the Personal Assets Framework and Self-Determination Theory, which together conceptualise quality youth sport as an interaction of activities, relationships, and settings, and explain the motivational processes through which coaching can shape participants’ lived experiences. Aligned with a constructivist-interpretivist paradigm, an Interpretive Description methodology guided the study design, enabling an in-depth enquiry that utilised youth voice while drawing on relevant literature and practitioner knowledge. Nineteen purposively sampled participants aged 13 to 18 years, representing both individual and team sports, participated in semi-structured focus group interviews. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes and four sub-themes were generated, describing factors that participants perceived to be influencing their sport experiences. Findings suggested that coaches positively impacted experiences through the development of quality coach-athlete relationships, effective leadership of sport delivery, and the application of autonomy-supportive and athlete-centred coaching approaches. In addition, they revealed that youth sport experiences were shaped by factors beyond the coach, including the influence of peers and family, the importance of achieving personal goals in sport, and the negative impact of ego-orientated goals. While coaches could not control all aspects of participants’ experiences, the analysis reinforces that they were influential across all factors, positioning them as key contributors to the quality of youth sport environments. Three practical recommendations are proposed, calling for continued investment in developing coaching effectiveness, intentional alignment between athletes’ goals and their sporting environments, and greater consideration of the wider social and system context to support the delivery of quality youth sport experiences.
Re-Stitching Urbanism: Reclaiming Urban Voids through Architectural Intervention
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Chirackal, Nevin
Mobility within urban environments has been a key issue since the widespread adoption of automobiles. With the increasing number of personal vehicles on the road, the importance of road infrastructure has grown, whereas the infrastructure needed to integrate human-scale movement within urban environments has diminished. Complex highway networks are often associated with occupying valuable urban landscapes and creating physical, social, and spatial barriers to urban development. This infrastructural occupation is exemplified at Auckland’s Central Motorway Junction, where almost 50 hectares of the city’s central zone have been dedicated to an extensive vehicular transportation network. With Auckland’s population expected to reach 2 million by 2030, according to Stats NZ, efficient use of available urban space is increasingly important. This thesis investigates the paradoxical nature of these infrastructural sites and proposes an architectural intervention to address the urban barriers and void spaces produced by the motorway network. The research combines a review of the theoretical literature, precedent analysis, and contextual and programmatic analyses to inform the final architectural intervention. To establish an intervention that facilitates a variety of social interactions and engagement, the project does not propose a singular, defined programme. Rather, it investigates an adaptable network of programmes that encourage and accommodate functionally across a range of time frames. By integrating a sense of interventional impermanence, the architectural proposal reimagines the infrastructural landscape as a testing site for urban transformation, where the intervention and its programmes can evolve alongside its users and adapt to the environment
Kohia ngā Taikākā: Collecting the Heartwood. A thematic analysis of stakeholder interviews on the culture of Avondale College, 1989-2025
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Elijaš, Susan
School culture, with its deep values and visible symbols and practices, plays a powerful role in shaping educational outcomes and capacity for transformation. However, empirical studies of school culture in Aotearoa New Zealand are scarce. This study examines the school culture of Avondale College, a large, diverse, co-educational, public secondary school in Auckland, New Zealand. It uses the methodology of Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) to analyse semi-structured interviews with eleven purposively selected members of the Avondale College community, using an organisational culture theory lens. The analysis reveals two important aspects of ‘heartwood’ at the core of Avondale College’s school culture. These are ‘Excellence as a values-driven practice’ and ‘Whanaungatanga as a foundational cultural value’. Leadership is found to be an important mechanism for the transmission of culture. These findings align with international literature on school culture in relation to themes of effectiveness, belonging, relationships and leadership, and add further insight into the importance of the concept of whanaungatanga in the context of education in Aotearoa New Zealand. A conceptual framework is developed to illustrate the culture of Avondale College, based on a tree with the ‘heartwood’ values of ‘excellence’ and ‘whanaungatanga’ at its core; branches that show manifestations of culture (symbolic, behavioural and verbal/conceptual); and leaves of visible surface culture. These findings are significant as they can help to inform the future strategic direction of the school, particularly in relation to recognising leaders as kaitiaki/stewards of culture; harnessing the power of storytelling; enhancing the effectiveness of change strategies; and drawing from the stability of the school’s culture in the face of challenge and change. This research can also give broader insight into how dimensions of culture impact a school’s identity, goals and outcomes in a New Zealand context, which may have relevance to other communities. Limitations of this study include the small sample size and its context-specific nature which makes it replicable but not generalisable.
In-Situ Aerial Mapping of New Zealand Myrtaceae Affected by Myrtle Rust (Austropuccinia psidii) Using Deep Learning
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Pfaff, Robin
Invasive fungal pathogens pose a significant threat to forest ecosystems worldwide and have far-reaching consequences for tree species. The rust fungus (Austropuccinia psidii) causes the disease commonly known as myrtle rust and threatens susceptible Myrtaceae populations on several continents. This includes Syzygium maire, a rare taonga (treasure) species endemic to New Zealand that is significant in Māori culture and ecologically important, but is now threatened with extinction. Accurate spatial mapping of threatened populations is essential for targeted management and conservation efforts, but traditional ground-based survey methods are logistically challenging and time-consuming. The practical application of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in combination with deep learning was evaluated to detect S. maire in dense, species-rich native forests. High-resolution RGB (1.5 cm) and multispectral (2.5 cm) imagery were captured from four urban forest reserves on New Zealand’s North Island using consumer-grade imaging sensors. A fully convolutional neural network for semantic segmentation (U-Net) was trained to classify S. maire from background vegetation. Furthermore, dataset composition and hyperparameter configurations were systematically tested including loss functions, learning rates, and different spectral band combinations. Point cloud segmentation approaches using a UAV-mounted LiDAR system were also qualitatively evaluated to assess the potential for three-dimensional tree instance detection. Site-specific models showed moderate to good detection performance (F1 scores: 0.46–0.81), with RGB images performing comparably or marginally better than multispectral images. Dice loss outperformed pixel-wise approaches in handling severe class imbalances, and an aggressive learning rate of 0.02 with adaptive scheduling led to significantly better performance. However, generalising models across multiple sites proved more difficult due to site-specific differences (best F1=0.51). LiDAR-based instance segmentation algorithms developed for managed forests have potential for the dense, structurally complex context of natural forests, but are insufficient without further development. The results show that deep learning can successfully identify S. maire under optimal, site-specific conditions. At the same time, critical limitations for operational real-world use were identified. The limited availability of training samples, the severe class imbalance of 3.4±0.7% (mean±SE) target class and the insufficient radiometric calibration capabilities of low-cost multispectral sensors fundamentally limit the approach. These findings highlight the need for standardised frameworks governing multispectral data capture and radiometric calibration. The findings expose significant challenges in translating remote sensing methods from simplified scenarios to operational conservation monitoring in structurally complex forests. The methodological insights regarding hyperparameter optimisation, spectral band selection, and calibration challenges can be transferred to analogous applications for species detection. As invasive pathogens increasingly threaten forest biodiversity worldwide, the development of robust detection methods for (rare) species in complex environments remains essential to support proactive conservation and biosecurity measures.
Underrepresentation of Women in Critical Care Paramedicine: Experiences and Perceptions From Aotearoa New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Fasher, Rainbow
Despite women comprising the majority of the frontline paramedic workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand, they remain markedly underrepresented within the specialist Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) scope of practice. This imbalance represents both an equity concern and a potential limitation to workforce capability and patient care, given established links between workforce diversity, organisational performance, and health outcomes. The purpose of this thesis was to explore the experiences, perceptions, and career progression of women CCPs in Aotearoa New Zealand, with a specific focus on identifying the barriers and enablers influencing advancement into this highest clinical scope of prehospital practice. This research adopted a qualitative descriptive approach guided by a critical realist and postpositivist paradigm. The thesis comprised two interrelated components: a systematic literature review examining international evidence on women paramedics’ career progression, and a qualitative study exploring the lived experiences of women CCPs in Aotearoa New Zealand. The systematic review identified persistent gender‑based barriers within emergency medical services internationally, including gender stereotypes, masculinised workplace cultures, discriminatory norms, and disproportionate caregiving expectations. Opportunities for progression were associated with supportive organisational cultures, flexible work arrangements, mentorship, and visible female role models. These findings provided an analytic foundation for the primary qualitative study. The qualitative study utilised an anonymous online survey with open‑ended questions distributed to all women who had practised as CCPs between 2020 and 2025. Qualitative content analysis was undertaken to identify patterns and themes, allowing findings to remain close to the participants’ language while minimising interpretive bias. Analysis of responses from 36 women CCPs identified five interconnected themes shaping career progression: access to professional development; organisational culture; flexible work‑life balance; women’s representation and collegial support; and psychological and life‑cycle challenges. Participants described enablers such as self‑directed postgraduate education, supportive managers, mentorship, scholarships, and the motivation derived from seeing other women succeed in CCP roles. However, these were frequently overshadowed by structural and cultural barriers. Key barriers included the financial cost of postgraduate study, limited and unevenly distributed CCP internships, relocation requirements, inconsistent preparation for clinical assessment, inflexible rostering, gender discrimination, ageism, and persistent “old boys’ club” dynamics. Caregiving responsibilities, maternity leave, and life‑cycle factors such as perimenopause intersected with these structures to disrupt clinical continuity, confidence, and progression. Psychological responses, including self‑doubt and imposter syndrome, further compounded these challenges. This thesis concludes that the underrepresentation of women in the CCP workforce reflects systemic, organisational, and cultural barriers rather than a lack of individual capability or aspiration. Addressing gender inequity at this advanced clinical level requires coordinated organisational action, including transparent and flexible CCP training pathways, equitable access to internships and assessment preparation, culturally inclusive leadership practices, and workforce structures that accommodate caregiving and life‑course variability. Enhancing equity in CCP progression is essential not only to support women paramedics’ career advancement, but to also build a diverse, resilient, and high‑performing advanced paramedic workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Eccentric Motorised Cycling as a Re-Warm-Up Strategy for Trained Male Baseball Pitchers
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Takahashi, Yuuki
In most sports, intermissions during the games are common. These breaks in the game can reduce muscle temperature and neuromuscular readiness, subsequently affecting performance. Re-warm-up (RWU) strategies are important to mitigate these declines for a variety of sports. Although the physiological aspects of RWU have been investigated in the literature, the connection between perceived readiness and physiological readiness remains unexplored. While traditional RWU methods have shown benefits for performance, there is a distinct gap in the literature for the application of eccentric motorised cycling (EMC) as a RWU modality in overhead throwing athletes. This thesis aimed to (1) review the literature on RWU strategies and eccentric exercise in relation to ballistic performance, and (2) investigate the effects of EMC as an RWU intervention on throwing velocity, shoulder range of motion (ROM), and perceived readiness in baseball pitchers following a simulated intermission. Based on the gap identified in the literature review, a randomised repeated-measures design was employed, with 13 club-level male baseball players performing a throwing test, a shoulder ROM test before and after completing three RWU protocols: passive, plyoball, and EMC. A Likert scale for perceived readiness (Perceived Readiness Scale (PRS)) was also included to understand the participants’ subjective readiness prior to the second bout of throwing. The results showed no significant main effect for condition on throwing velocity (p = .150, ηp² = .158); however, EMC demonstrated the smallest decline in throwing velocity (−1.20%; mean change: −2.98 ± 3.61 km/h) and was significantly greater than the plyoball condition by 1.83 km/h (p = .045, d = 0.54). The lack of significance between EMC and control may be explained by the lack of sample size or wider variation from pre-post intervention in the control group. No significant differences were observed in shoulder ROM across conditions. A moderate negative correlation between external rotation (ER) change and throwing velocity was identified in the control condition (r = −.525). Additionally, PRS differed significantly between conditions (p = .023), with EMC producing the highest median scores (Mdn = 4.0) compared to control (Mdn = 3.0) and plyoball (Mdn = 3.0). A moderate positive trend between perceived readiness and velocity change was observed in the plyoball condition (ρ = .482). EMC shows potential as an effective RWU strategy to attenuate declines in throwing velocity and enhance perceived readiness following short intermissions. Although findings were limited by a small sample size and environmental variability, results provide some support for incorporating EMC into RWU protocols for overhead athletes. Further research with larger samples and controlled conditions is required to confirm these findings and explore mechanisms further.
Living With Water: Designing Flood-Resilient Housing in Flood-Vulnerable Communities in Auckland
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Lai, Rita
Flooding is increasing in frequency and intensity in many urban regions. This thesis is driven by the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend flood, which exposed the vulnerability of existing housing patterns. In many parts of Auckland, residential areas experienced severe inundation, property damage, and long recovery periods that reduced residents’ well-being and caused anxiety during rainy days. The event highlights the need to rethink how housing can adapt to future weather patterns and reduce displacement. This thesis investigates how regenerative and climate-adaptive shelter systems can reduce flood vulnerability at dwelling, neighbourhood, and community scales. The research draws on five theoretical frameworks: Floodability, Build Back Better, the 4Rs of Resilience, the Transitional Shelter Framework, and the Mauri Ora Compass. Key ideas from these frameworks are translated into five flood resilience principles: adaptation, redundancy, rapidity, self-sufficiency, and community and culture. These principles form the conceptual foundation for the design proposal. The Clover Drive neighbourhood in West Auckland is selected as the test site because it was severely impacted by the floods. The area represents a typical suburban pattern of detached houses, private yards, and car dependent street access. Its exposure to flooding and visible damage provides a clear context to test and develop architectural strategies for resilience. The design-led research methodology combines literature review, theoretical synthesis, site analysis, and iterative architectural testing. The design proposes a multi-scalar flood adaptive housing system that allows controlled inundation while maintaining residential habitability. At the community scale, the proposal redistributes floodwater by creating level differences within a floodable landscape system integrated into public open space. At the dwelling scale, ground floors function as controlled inundation zones, while critical domestic spaces are elevated to support shelter-in-place and vertical retreat during flood events. Circulation shifts from ground based access to layered and connected elevated walkways. By linking spatial strategies with resilience principles, the thesis offers a framework for housing that accommodates water rather than resisting it, It demonstrates how architecture can function as part of an interconnected resilience system that reduces damage, maintains continuity of use, and strengthens long-term adaptability under increasing flood risk.
Building for Communities — Not for Profit: Third Sector Housing Policy Intervention Strategies in Practice
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Mayson, Níall
Dysfunction within the New Zealand housing sector relating to market stability and affordability is starkly evident and echoes systemic problems in many other countries. House prices, annual price growth, housing overburden costs and building costs are simply unsustainable. House price data from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) for the period 2000-2023 shows real house prices in New Zealand increased at more than 3x the rate of all OECD countries and more than 5.5x the rate of Euro area countries within the OECD. Housing affordability, measured by price-income ratio, worsened ~98% over the period, compared to ~22% for all OECD countries and ~21% for all Euro area countries. Further, the housing cost overburden rate (i.e. share of population spending more than 40% of household income on housing costs) for households here in the bottom quintile of income distribution was the 2nd highest in the OECD for owners with a mortgage and 3rd highest for private renters. Ideology based ‘quick-fix’ policy favouring greenfield and suburban infill development to build lower density and mainly market-priced housing has failed to produce improved, socially-diffuse, housing affordability. What it has ushered in is market instability, a boom in ‘for-profit’ residential investment property, rapid price and rent growth and expensive housing — especially for lower income households. Our housing eco-system feels a bit like a never ending game of Jenga — where both the property-owning majority and renting minority have a big financial interest in keeping the pieces stable but where our politicians are the only ones allowed to play. Uncertainty and instability pervades. What seems very clear is that we’re never going to subdivide our way to better housing outcomes — only social inequality. This research framework explores policy approaches adopted in selected European countries with mature third sector housing systems and actors achieving improved and more socially-diffuse housing outcomes and what can be learned and applied here in New Zealand. The research reveals that in the selected countries third sector housing policy interventions facilitated via dedicated state and municipal institutions and tools have made a positive contribution to improved and socially-diffuse housing outcomes and market stability — where not-for-profit public and private housing forms a major part of total housing stock. Key third sector building blocks include; pan-political consensus, spatial planning and housing law and policy focused on improved housing outcomes not growth, state and municipal actors proactively involved, and, in particular, low-cost funding and guarantee tools for not-for-profit housing actors and low-cost land opportunities. Not-for-profit housing systems and actors follow social (rather than commercial) imperatives and require tenure (ownership or rental) to be based on cost (not market price), with surpluses reinvested into new affordable housing development through revolving fund mechanisms. They often prioritise low to middle income segments of the market, referred to as “the missing middle”, overlooked by the state and for-profit developers. Policies focused on facilitating a “multi-stakeholder" not-for-profit housing sector — the “third sector” that is neither public nor for-profit housing — have been shown to lower housing costs, widen access to capital, improve housing affordability (including in the nonregulated for-profit sector) and improve housing quality.
The Recording Studio: Based on Biophilic Design and Multi-Sensory Architecture
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Veldtmann, Ryno
This thesis investigates how biophilic design and multi-sensory architecture can inform the design of a music recording studio. The research examines how natural systems and sensory engagement can be integrated with professional acoustic requirements to support human health, user well-being, and creative practice. Utilising theories from environmental psychology, phenomenology, regenerative architecture, and acoustic ecology, the thesis establishes a theoretical and design-led framework for the reinvention of conventional recording studio typologies. The project engages with the cultural–ecological context of Aotearoa through mātauranga Māori and Te Aranga design principles, thereby grounding the studio in place. It argues that a regenerative, multi-sensory approach can transform the recording studio from a sealed technical container into an experiential environment that enhances creativity, reduces stress, and supports environmental performance.
Heritage-Led Regeneration for Underused Historic Churches Using a Community-Led Approach in Aotearoa New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Vo, Jordan
The concept of adaptive reuse has become an important strategy for addressing housing shortages, climate pressures, and the loss of obsolete heritage by repurposing existing buildings. In AotearoaNew Zealand, many historic buildings, particularly churches, are at risk of demolition by neglect, seismic vulnerability, and non‑compliance with current building codes. The diversity and shift in religious beliefs have left many ecclesiastical spaces underutilised, while urban expansion has made these site's amenities increasingly inaccessible by walking. Although adaptive reuse is discussed with growing interest in New Zealand, its acceptance and implementation are still met with considerable scepticism. Many building conversions privilege profit and focus on the development of luxury apartments, upscale retail and exclusive event venues, that serve private capital rather than public good. This thesis therefore questions how can underutilised heritage churches be adapted and repurposed through a community-led approach to promote social cohesion and collective participation with local cultural heritage? St James Church, constructed in 1900 and listed as a Category B heritage place on Auckland Council’s heritage schedule, is situated in Mount Eden and forms the focus of this study. The methodology underpinning this research adopts a heritage-led design approach and proposes a theoretical framework based on four key principles drawn from the International Council on Monuments and Sites New Zealand Charter (2010): minimum intervention, use, adaptation and risk mitigation. This framework is informed by detailed site analysis, the examination of international case studies, and a foundation of existing knowledge established through a literature review. Together, these methods inform the development of both the design and theoretical framework, enabling a rigorous iterative design process that generates a potential model for the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings. A bottom‑up approach is proposed, through a charitable trust model where residents define programmes, design priorities and important heritage elements for conservation work. The potential outcome is a resilient, mixed‑income community that gathers around a democratised heritage asset. Rather than showcasing elite capital, the reactivated church becomes a shared social infrastructure that affirms collective identity, encouraging intercultural dialogue, and demonstrating that heritage conservation and social justice can coexist, reinforcing one another in the changing modern urban landscape. The proposed framework offers a transferable model for community-led adaptive reuse of underused historic churches in similar contexts.
(Re)Inhabitation: Pursuing the Continued Use of Auckland CBD’s Disused Heritage Through an Approach of Minimum Intervention
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Picard, Thomas David
Throughout a building’s lifespan, cycles of use and disuse are an inevitability. Some spaces however, experience prolonged periods of disuse, creating voids in a once thriving urban fabric. Globally, the issue of disuse is attributable to wider problems: urbanisation, economic decline, climate change effects, violent conflicts, changes in legislation, natural disasters, and demographic shifts. New Zealand is all too familiar with the effects of natural disasters, and like the rest of the world is feeling the effects of a pandemic and its resulting economic downturn. New Zealand’s tectonic setting has not been kind to the European architectural styles of our historical architecture. Today, strict earthquake strengthening regulation has left property owners in a stalemate with local authorities, leading to decay and abandonment. The Auckland Central Business District (CBD) has recently been subject to recurring periods of downturn, notably the development of the Central Rail Link (CRL) Network, and the Covid-19 pandemic. These periods of downturn have repeatedly diminished hopes of regeneration and resulted in an increasing number of spaces becoming vacant or abandoned. Rooted in the conservation principle of Minimum Intervention, this thesis explores a process of temporary adaptation to support the continued use of abandoned heritage sites, aiming to maintain cultural significance and provide opportunity for wider urban regeneration. While literature exists regarding adaptive reuse of heritage spaces, this thesis focuses specifically on how temporary adaptation can be applied to disused sites in the Auckland Central Business District area. This thesis features an exploration of current and historical methods of adaptive reuse, conservation practice, and temporary architecture, as well as the practical application of these methodologies in key precedents. This exploration identifies conceptual alignment between conservation principles of minimum intervention and the restrained and reversible nature of temporary architecture. Additionally, this analysis identifies how temporary architecture is particularly suited to the reinhabitation of disused sites through its simple construction, accessibility, and atmospheric appeal. This study engages the question: How can temporary adaptive reuse strategies support the reinhabitation of disused cultural heritage sites in Auckland CBD? This thesis focuses on developing an approach of minimal adaptation to aid the reinhabitation of three disused sites in Auckland CBD: the former Arthur Yates Seed Co. buildings on Albert Street, the former Smith & Caughey flagship store fronting Queen, Wellesley, and Elliott Streets, and the St James Theatre site located between Queen and Lorne Streets. Differences in site context, building typology, and existing communities provide a diversity of challenges to test a design intervention that follows this minimal approach. This design is guided by a framework that builds upon key methodologies from notable theorists and conservation organisations. The principles of Minimum Intervention, Continued Use, Programmatic Flexibility, and Sustainable Lifecycles have been carefully selected to reflect these theories, thus grounding the proposed design outcomes in an applicable discourse and offering a conceptual framework for further studies.
Exploring the Potential of Strong Wool Base Biomaterials to Produce Regionally Sustainable Bio-Composite Materials in Aotearoa for the Built Environment
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Bull, Joshua
This research investigated the potential of strong wool in a bio-composite building material for architectural use. Considering the historical significance of strong wool in New Zealand and its unique qualities, I chose to make this material a key part of the project. My goal was to contribute to the reduction of the negative impact the construction industry has on the environment. Various biomaterials were combined and tested to develop a final ‘recipe’ for a locally sourced, low-tech bio-brick. Through experimentation and multiple iterations, I developed a biomaterial composite containing strong wool, seaweed, recycled clay and cornstarch. This was the most promising composite and the resulting bio-brick was lightweight and had notable compressive and tensile strength. A key aspect of my research was to ensure that any composite I developed could be fabricated using low-tech methods. Therefore, I underwent a trial-and-error process to create a ‘fool-proof’ recipe for the bio-brick, which does not require precise measurement and can be made on-site.
Regenerating Urban Voids into Ma: Exploring Architectural Methodology Using Kigumi Structures
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Hayashi, Taisei
This research investigates the need for flexible and adaptive reuse strategies to transform underutilized spaces in urban environments. Through theoretical and conceptual analysis, it addresses how architecture can respond to the challenges of vacancy, decay, and heritage protection. The study focuses on the case of the St James Theatre in central Auckland—a heritage-listed building that has remained unused for years due to ongoing restoration delays. By examining this site, the research proposes a temporal, non-invasive architectural intervention using traditional Japanese construction techniques, particularly Kigumi (木組み) joinery. These techniques are explored for their potential to create modular, reversible wooden structures that respect the heritage fabric while reactivating the space for public use. The investigation highlights how cross-cultural, craft-based approaches can inform sustainable, low-impact adaptive reuse in contemporary urban contexts.
Design for Renovation, The Bicentennial Home: Strategies For Long-term Relevance Through Timeless Design and Adaptive Renovation
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Palmer, Taimana
The Bicentennial Home: A Vision for Sustainable, Adaptable Architecture As Aotearoa approaches two centuries of nationhood, the state of our housing and urban infrastructure raises a forward-looking question: what should the next two centuries of domestic development look like? Building homes to last two hundred years might seem ambitious, but global examples show buildings that have been renewed, repaired, and adapted across generations. Aiming for a bicentennial outlook encourages architects, planners, and builders to consider more than just material durability; it also pushes them to think about the ability of homes to be maintained, modified, and upgraded as technologies, climates, and social norms evolve. This perspective directly affects urban resilience and sustainability, particularly given Aotearoa’s trend-driven building culture. New Zealand’s dominant housing model, primarily post-war stick-frame suburbs renewed through cyclical demolition and rebuild, generates significant construction and demolition waste streams, entrenches inefficient land use, and hinders the densification necessary for creating compact, low-carbon cities. Introduced during a consumerist era, this commodity-focused mindset diverges from vernacular traditions where buildings were designed to be legible and repairable by their occupants and communities. Modern practice too often results in homes that are short-lived, rigid, and reliant on specialists. This thesis promotes “design for renovation” as a primary goal rather than a secondary concern. It distinguishes enduring human needs (comfort, privacy, flexibility) from fleeting trends that quickly date. It also frames repairability, effective use of modularity, and accessible service layers as tools that empower households while reducing environmental impact. The conceptual approach draws on right-to-repair principles, adaptive reuse, design for disassembly and access, and material continuity or substitution, aligning with values of kaitiakitanga and whakapapa. Methodologically, the project combines literature review and precedent analysis to develop The Bicentennial Home: a practical framework and brief manual that translates principles into actionable details. The goal is to support sustainable urban growth, cultural continuity, and durable, adaptable homes that remain meaningful across multiple generations in New Zealand.
An Audit of Endometriosis of Pre-Menopausal & Menopausal Women in Aotearoa: A 5-year Study of the Hidden Disease
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Saheed, Rukshar
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory gynaecological condition affecting women worldwide. In New Zealand, approximately 1 in 10 women is affected, with an average diagnostic delay of 8.7 years. Despite its prevalence, endometriosis remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. Delays in diagnosis are often compounded by inconsistencies in clinical management across age groups, ethnicities, and regions, contributing to inequities in care. This observational cohort study examined diagnostic delay and treatment management patterns among women diagnosed with endometriosis in the Waitematā region between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2022. Variables analysed included age, ethnicity, geographic region within Waitematā, hospital setting, and treatment type. Routinely collected clinical patient data were used, with cases outside the defined study framework excluded. A total of 524 women were included in the analysis. The average diagnostic delay was seven months, with 75% of women receiving a diagnosis within nine months. No statistically significant differences in diagnostic delay were observed among Māori, Pacific, Asian, or New Zealand European/Pākehā women; however, women categorised as “Other” experienced longer delays. Age-related analysis showed slightly longer delays among women aged 31–40 years. Combined surgical and hormonal therapy was the most common management approach between 2018 and 2022, with treatment patterns varying by age. Laparoscopic surgery alone was less frequently utilised among older women, while incidental lesion detection increased with age. Standalone non-surgical treatments were not commonly offered. Geographic region and hospital setting had minimal influence on diagnostic timelines. Overall, the findings indicate relatively timely and consistent diagnosis and management of endometriosis in the Waitematā region, suggesting more timely diagnosis in this region compared with previously reported estimates. Nevertheless, disparities observed among certain ethnic groups and women in their 30s highlight the ongoing need for early symptom recognition, culturally responsive care, and continued efforts to promote equitable healthcare delivery in New Zealand.
Towards Self-Healing Networks: AI-Based Log Analytics and Automated Remediation
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Feng, Chengwei
The rapid growth in network complexity and scale, driven by cloud adoption, IoT proliferation, and hybrid infrastructures, has outpaced traditional, manual network management methodologies. Current approaches exhibit significant shortcomings, including latency in fault detection, inadequate root cause analysis, heavy reliance on manual intervention, and the absence of closed-loop remediation, all of which negatively impact network availability and operational efficiency. This research presents an innovative AI-driven self-healing framework, designed to enhance network reliability through advanced log analytics and automated remediation. The proposed solution integrates cutting-edge machine learning techniques—unsupervised anomaly detection, transformer-based semantic analysis, and reinforcement learning-driven remediation—into a unified system architecture. Our log analytics engine efficiently ingests, normalizes, and analyzes heterogeneous log data from multi-vendor network devices, accurately identifying anomalies and providing precise root cause analysis in real time. The automated remediation component leverages a progressive, multi-tiered approach ranging from assistive recommendations to fully autonomous actions, facilitated by a closed-loop Monitor-Analyze-Plan-Execute-Knowledge (MAPE-K) architecture. Through rigorous evaluation against traditional methods, the framework demonstrated significant performance improvements, including a 60% reduction in fault detection latency, a 45% decrease in Mean Time to Remediation (MTTR), and a high accuracy rate exceeding 90% in automated corrective actions. Additionally, scalability tests confirmed the system’s robustness in handling large-scale network environments with minimal latency overhead. The integration of human-in-the-loop feedback mechanisms ensures operational safety and continuous improvement, thereby addressing critical gaps identified in existing approaches. This research highlights the transformative potential of AI-driven self-healing networks in achieving unprecedented levels of network resilience, operational efficiency, and scalability, while also establishing a foundational model for future advancements in automated network management systems.
The Two Towers: Pōkarekare Ana Ngā Wai o Waihorotiu i Tāmaki Makaurau
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Seong, Jay
The Two Towers is an architectural research project that investigates the symbolic link between Auckland's prominent vertical icon, the Sky Tower, and the hidden horizontal memory of the Waihorotiu Stream beneath the city, aiming to turn this imbalance into a new urban harmony. The project is set in a period after the COVID-19 pandemic, when Auckland's central city has revealed previously overlooked issues, including delayed development, vacant storefronts, and social exhaustion. Once known as "The City of Sails," it is now a city marked by stillness, with the Sky Tower towering over the Waihorotiu Stream. This skyline symbolises the divide between surface appearances and the city's deeper realities, reflecting both ambition and tiredness. Architecture is positioned within the project not as a form of visual restoration but as a practice of listening and reconciliation. The project asks: Can architecture restore not only the city’s image but also the lost flow, memories, and relationships beneath the city? To answer this question, the project employs a number of methodologies, including mapping, section analysis, and design intervention, to reinterpret the Queen Street Valley as a vertical continuum, where the Sky Tower and the Waihorotiu Stream are two towers engaged in conversation, one visible and fatigued, and the other hidden and alive. The theoretical frameworks employed by the project draw on concepts of immanence, flow, and wicked problems, suggesting that the regeneration of the city should be based on the acknowledgement of its wounds rather than their concealment. By framing drawing as evidence, rather than representation, the project develops an architectural response that is attentive to the city's silence. Ultimately, The Two Towers presents architecture as a vessel for resonance, a slow reflective action that connects the fractured layers of Auckland and awakens the flow that will be inherited by future generations.
Bridging the Gap: Adaptive Reuse of Carrington Hospital as a 'Missing Middle' for Mental Health Care in Tāmaki Makaurau
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Sherly, Evangaline
This thesis responds to a critical gap in mental healthcare systems, a challenge particularly acute in Aotearoa New Zealand but relevant globally: the "missing middle" This term refers to people with moderate to severe mental health needs who are too unwell for primary care alone yet do not meet the threshold for specialist or inpatient services. Caught between these systems, they often face social isolation, housing insecurity, and cycles of crisis. The research explores how architecture can respond to this gap, proposing that adaptive reuse can create supportive, community-based environments that promote recovery, dignity, and belonging. The project is situated in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and focuses on the adaptive reuse of the former Carrington Hospital (Building One), a Category 1 historic place with a complex legacy of mental health care. Located within the Wairaka Precinct Masterplan, a site of ongoing urban regeneration, Carrington serves as a test case to explore how heritage structures can host new models of care while respecting their historical and cultural significance. The research is guided by the question: How can the adaptive reuse of the former Carrington Hospital create a new architectural model for the "missing middle" in mental health care, one that promotes recovery through de-institutionalised design, community integration, and a meaningful dialogue with its heritage? The methodology combines qualitative literature review and analysis of existing policy frameworks, such as the He Ara Oranga report and the Auckland Unitary Plan and evidence-based precedent studies to develop a set of design principles. These principles are then applied and tested through design-led inquiry, resulting in a proposal that reimagines Carrington as a Community Wellness Hub with integrated transitional housing. The design establishes a “stepped care” framework within one connected site, enabling residents to move gradually from supported to independent living while remaining engaged with community and nature. This thesis concludes that this specific approach to adaptive reuse functions as a multi-layered act of healing: it provides a therapeutic environment for the "missing middle," fosters social integration for the wider community, and heals the building's stigmatised past by inverting its narrative from one of confinement to one of care. The project demonstrates a replicable model where architectural regeneration is intrinsically linked to social and psychological wellbeing.

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