bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Future for a Rural Past: An Investigation of Rural Communal Life in New Zealand, through an Architectural Analysis of Rural Halls
Authors:   , Morgan James Grosvenor 
Published: November 2021

<p>Since the early years of colonisation, rural settlements in New Zealand have undergone much change. The built infrastructure that once supported close-knit rural communities has become largely obsolete, degenerating into disrepair. Within this context of rural decline, my thesis explores the relation between rural buildings and communal living. In so doing, I offer a conceptualisation of a new rural facility, as an incubator for new communal experience, appropriate for bringing rural and urban dwellers together. My focus is specifically community centred on rural halls within Taranaki's Stratford District. In offering a critical analysis of their demise, I contend that rural halls in New Zealand have undergone this change through processes of urbanisation. Urban dwelling has given rise to a lack of agricultural knowledge, providing a disassociation between urban residents and their earlier ties to the landscape and farm practices. The development of new forms of social life has aided an increase in the degree of physical separation between individuals and their neighbors. The traditional physical sense of belonging to a close-knit rural community has been transformed if not destroyed. Belonging to a community is, I contend, a vital psychological requirement for humans. My theoretical stance is that buildings can and do support a sense of community. From a regenerative perspective, there is arguably a trend of moving back to rural environments as people seek out alternative ways of dealing with the overbearing issue of contemporary urban living. The built rural infrastructure may be of importance to New Zealand's current and future generations. This thesis explores the possibility for a reinterpretation/adaptation of rural New Zealand halls in expressing physical rural 'communal life' in a contemporary context. Critical Regionalist and Adaptive Reuse architecture theories are utilised to test this contention. The design ventures a new archetype, a new hub for a rural settlement that will include new facilities, whilst extending and reworking the traditional social roles of rural halls. Through fostering a renewed form of communal life and providing an environment that fuses rural and urban skill-sets, this facility is intended to breath new life into these former rural communities and in particular, the abandoned rural halls.</p>
Shoe Box: An Analysis of the Concert Hall and its Adaption to Small-Scale Music Performance Space
Authors:   , Mauvan John 
Published: November 2021

<p>In the first 150 years after 1600, western music was traditionally performed in palace ballrooms which were mostly rectangular in shape. In the following two centuries a change in social conditions led to the first halls especially built for public concerts. Although the audience capacity of these halls had increased exponentially, those that derived from the rectangular plans and dimensions of the ballrooms in the century before proved to have particularly favourable acoustics. The proportions of which are roughly that of a double cube, 1:1:2. Today this rectangular form is widely ascribed throughout acoustic literature as the shoebox. Although the shoebox has proven a popular paradigm in all time periods, until the late nineteenth century little was known of the scientific reasoning for its acoustic success. Therefore much of the contemporary literature regarding the model has focused on the large-scale designs of the nineteenth and twentieth century. Comparatively, less is written about the adaption of these design concepts to smaller-scaled concert facilities with audience capacities up to 400 persons. This thesis analyses a number of highly celebrated large-scale concert halls, with audience capacities between 1,500-3,000, and tests the application of their design principles to small-scale concert spaces with capacities ranging between 100-350 persons. The aims of this thesis are applied to a design project, which seeks to adapt the traditional shoebox archetype to a series of small-scale concert spaces, initiated by a design brief for the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM). The design project relocates the NZSM to an existing building on a disused site in central Wellington. Acknowledging the programmatic need for acoustic performance in conjunction with the social component inherent to the occupation of an urban territory, this thesis investigates two strands of design logic: technical and contextual. One strand investigates the acoustic performance of the concert hall; the other investigates its response to site context. The findings from this thesis are substantiated through a method of proportionate variation whereby the acoustic principles of large-scale concert halls are adopted to small-scale music halls. In addition, the findings established from a site analysis of contemporary large-scale concert halls are then downscaled to inform the integration of the NZSM programme with the proposed inner city site.</p>
Variation in the Persistence and Effects of Argentine Ants throughout Their Invaded Range in New Zealand
Authors:   , Cooling Meghan Dawn 
Published: November 2021

<p>Invasive ants are a serious ecological problem around the world. The Argentine ant has had devastating effects on resident ant communities and may negatively impact other invertebrates in its introduced range. First detected in Auckland in 1990, this invader has since spread widely around the country. The effect of Argentine ants on invertebrates in New Zealand was investigated by comparing ground-dwelling arthropod species richness and abundance between and among paired uninvaded and invaded sites in seven cities across this invader's New Zealand range. In order to study density-dependent effects, invaded sites were chosen so as to differ in Argentine ant population density. The effects of rainfall and mean maximum temperature on Argentine ant abundance and the species richness and abundance were also examined. Argentine ant population persistence in New Zealand was examined by re-surveying sites of past infestation across this species range. The influence of climate on population persistence was investigated, and how this effect may vary after climate change. Additionally, the potential of community recovery after invasion was also examined. Epigaeic (above ground foraging) ant species richness and abundance was negatively associated with Argentine ant abundance; however, no discernable impact was found on hypogaeic (below ground foraging) ant species. The effect of Argentine ant abundance on non-ant arthropod species richness and abundance was mixed, with most arthropod orders being unaffected. Diplopoda was negatively influenced by Argentine ant abundance while Hemiptera was positively influenced. Annual rainfall and mean maximum temperature were found to have no effect on Argentine ant abundance or resident ant species richness and abundance, though these variables did help explain the distribution of several non-ant arthropod orders. Argentine ant populations appear to be collapsing in New Zealand. Populations had a mean survival time of 14.1 years (95% CI= 12.9- 15.3 years). Climate change may prolong population survival, as survival time increased with increasing temperature and decreasing rainfall, but only by a few years. Formerly invaded Auckland ant communities were indistinguishable from those that had never been invaded, suggesting ant communities will recover after Argentine ant collapse.</p>
Museum Leadership in Practice: A New Zealand Case Study
Authors:   , Luoni David 
Published: November 2021

<p>Museum leadership is an under investigated area of museum studies. This dissertation contributes to museum leadership research by applying leadership theory to a case study of the career of Jim Geddes, a museum director who works in the town of Gore in Southland, New Zealand. In 2008 Geddes won Museums Aotearoa's inaugural Individual Achievement Award for putting Gore on the national cultural map by establishing the Eastern Southland Gallery, the Hokonui Heritage Centre, the Croydon Aviation Museum and for expanding Gore's Historical Museum. How did Geddes achieve this successful cultural entrepreneurship in such an unlikely small rural town? The central research question asks how leadership has manifested itself in Gore's museums during Geddes' tenure from 1983 to the present. The theoretical framework draws on leadership theory, particularly the work of Suchy and others, who theorise leadership as a social practice rather than a set of management techniques. Several qualitative research methods are employed including interviews with Geddes and key museum stakeholders coupled with a review of how the media have presented Geddes' work. This research data is then compared against leadership theory, noting the convergences and divergences. The dissertation is the first in-depth New Zealand study to test the application of contemporary leadership theory to one museum leader's practice. The findings reveal that, while Geddes is not a conscious leader, his practice has a striking similarity to the engaging transformational leadership model in terms of stakeholder engagement and the inter-personal and emotional elements of leadership. This research provides a deeper understanding of the career of a successful local museum director, suggesting that a sense of place can function as a mechanism for museum leaders to profitably engage with stakeholders. It also presents the argument that successful leadership is a practice, a mode of operating and interacting with others that if consistently applied can spark a series of positive events for museums and their leaders. After considering the implications of this case study for museum practice, training and professional development, the dissertation concludes with five recommendations to improve museum leadership development in New Zealand.</p>
Performance Variance Evaluation on Mozilla Firefox
Authors:   , Larres Jan 
Published: November 2021

<p>In order to evaluate software performance and find regressions, many developers use automated performance tests. However, the test results often contain a certain amount of noise that is not caused by actual performance changes in the programs. They are instead caused by external factors like operating system decisions or unexpected non-determinisms inside the programs. This makes interpreting the test results hard since results that differ from previous results cannot easily be attributed to either genuine changes or noise. In this thesis we use Mozilla Firefox as an example to try to find the causes for this performance variance, develop ways to reduce the noise and present a statistical technique that makes identifying genuine performance changes more reliable. Our results show that a significant amount of noise is caused by memory randomization and other external factors, that there is variance in Firefox internals that does not seem to be correlated with test result variance, and that our suggested statistical forecasting technique can give more reliable detection of genuine performance changes than the one currently in use by Mozilla.</p>
The Architecture of Pilgrimage: Sacred Site and Sacred Self in the Quest for Meaning
Authors:   , Loader Fran 
Published: November 2021

<p>As an historic cultural phenomenon that has been practiced throughout the globe for centuries, from ancient Greeks through to Vietnam veterans, the practise of pilgrimage has undergone a renaissance in the last few decades. This revival has seen the definition of pilgrimage re-examined and re-evaluated in terms that reflect the contemporary positions of religion and spirituality in society. It is up to the individual now to decide what they consider to be sacred and where they will find value and meaningfulness (Reader, 2007). As one of the oldest forms of seeking meaning and meaningfulness, pilgrimage is intimately connected with the human need and desire to become "complete embodied and spiritual beings" (Pallasmaa, 2005). So too is architecture concerned with our ability to find and occupy a meaningful existence. Yet the relationship between architecture and pilgrimage hasn't yet been explored in a meaningful manner. By exploring the concept of pilgrimage, this research aims at demonstrating how pilgrimage can be used to anchor meaning and meaningfulness in architecture. This aim is investigated though the design of a hospice facility. Architecture and pilgrimage are both concerned with humanity's search and desire for meaning and meaningfulness; pilgrimage, as a metaphor for life and as the physical act of journeying in order to find meaning; architecture and its ability to allow us to have, be and create meaningful experiences within our everyday lives.</p>
Opening New Pathways for Development: An Exploration into Community Economies
Authors:   , Rushton Renee 
Published: November 2021

<p>This research explores community economies as a way of practicing development differently. The community economy framework has arisen out of post-development critiques which highlight how some development practices have discursively and practically created linear understandings of economic development. In contrast, the community economy framework involves highlighting the many economic practices and community assets that currently sustain people and suggests that multiple possible pathways to improved wellbeing can be imagined from these local beginnings. The approach seeks to prioritise neither local nor foreign practices, but encourages critical public discussion around which activities could be built on to improve community wellbeing. This research draws on my experiences engaging with the communities of San Miguel and Yachakay in Bolivia between March and June 2010, and contributes to the dialogue on the community economy approach as a way to practice development. I have explored how this process of negotiating research in the field affects research outcomes. Throughout the process of exploring community economies I faced a number of challenges in negotiating the research in the field. This thesis is grounded in feminist and indigenous methodological approaches that recommend the researcher seek ways to transfer power and benefits to the researched in locally relevant ways. Yet very few works address the process of negotiation required to achieve this. My experience shows that by uncovering this often glossed over process, insights can be gained into the complex ways the researched assert power in research contexts, and thus assert power over research outcomes. This research explores the viability of researching community economies within a Masters framework. My approach in San Miguel involved collecting data though semi-structured interviews, informal conversations and a reflective research journal. However my research in San Miguel was cut short. In the new location, Yachakay, I added a Participatory Action Research approach to my methodological tool kit. Other attempts to build community economies have involved significant budgets, experience and community engagement periods. While my approaches to building community economies in Bolivia were restricted by the relatively short Masters thesis timeframe, limited funding and my novice researcher status, the experience was not completely fruitless. I believe that benefits were gained both by researched and researcher through this exploration of community economies.</p>
The Missionary as Cultural Mediator: Alexander Don and the Chinese and European Communities in New Zealand
Authors:   , Tysoe Luke Stephen 
Published: November 2021

<p>Missionaries to China, by virtue of their positions and knowledge, frequently became important channels of information between cultures. They transmitted Christianity and Western learning to Chinese people while simultaneously describing China to home audiences through their writings and public speaking. This thesis examines how Alexander Don, Presbyterian missionary to the New Zealand Chinese in Otago from 1879 to 1913, performed similar functions as a "cultural mediator". For most of his career, Don was one of the most significant links between Chinese and European people in New Zealand. He developed a relationship with the Chinese community while simultaneously describing Chinese culture to Europeans in his published reports. While Don's missionary career has been extensively documented, there have been no studies of his significance from the perspective of cross-cultural dialogue and exchange. In this thesis I will discuss the ways that Don acted as a cultural mediator, as well as the factors that impelled him to do so. I will make an in-depth investigation of Don's presentation of Chinese culture to European readers through his mission reports, and how this image changed over the course of his career. The picture Don painted was both motivated and influenced by his mission aims, his growing understanding of Chinese culture, and his developing rapport with Chinese people. In order to demonstrate that Don was unique as a cultural mediator in New Zealand, I will compare him to other sources of information on Chinese culture. It will be shown that he provided very different data and opinions from those conveyed by secular writers and authors, and that his descriptions were generally more detailed than those of other missionaries to the New Zealand Chinese and New Zealand missionaries in China. Don will also be compared to more well-known China missionaries, in order to show that he was similar to them in terms of educating Westerners about the East. Finally, I will weigh the impact of Don's cultural mediation activities. Although he gained few converts, he played a crucial role in improving Sino-European understanding and relations. In the final analysis, Don had a greater impact in these areas than he did in the field of evangelism.</p>
The City is a Stage: Innovation beyond the Theatre Space
Authors:   , Courtney Sarah 
Published: November 2021

<p>"[The] product of architecture can at least partly be understood as an endless live performance" (Van Berkel & Bos, 2008 , p. 135). As central cities such as Wellington become more event orientated, there is a greater need for a network of innovative performance venues (temporary or permanent) to meet public demand. The existing theatre spaces within Wellington are currently limited in size and the spaces are difficult to adapt to meet the needs of different performances. The thesis investigates this problem. The thesis proposes to develop a network of multifunctional performance spaces outside traditional theatre spaces in areas which are generally used as high activity public spaces and thoroughfares. This will result in not only new opportunities for theatre design and new types of adaptive performance, but, as performance is removed from a traditionally controlled environment, it will create urban spaces that are multi-functional and a better fit for a variety of experiences and uses. Several precedents are analysed with regard to the creation of new boundaries and multiple functionalities in a more contemporary setting. Public realm typologies are also explored for their capacity to be blended in form and function to create hybrid, multi-functional spaces. The resulting design strategy is applied in a series of design experiments to the selected subject site on Wellington’s waterfront. The experiments are then evaluated to aid in the development of an appropriate outdoor theatre network that will enliven the city and encourage performers to create a new style of theatre. The proposed design is developed from and through the research, and will benefit Wellington for many reasons. Firstly, the design will produce greater adaptability and permeability of the performance space in Wellington. Secondly, because theatres in Wellington are currently disengaged from their surrounding context, the proposed building will have a strong indoor/outdoor connection that encourages the use of diverse performance in and around the building. Thirdly, by placing the building in or near circulation paths, it will provide an interactive and engaging space for audiences.</p>
An Exploration of the Relationship between TEACCH and a Music Therapy Student's Practice in a Special Education Setting
Authors:   , Algie Philippa 
Published: November 2021

<p>The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how aspects of Schopler's TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children) might be related to music therapy practice, using my own practice in an attached unit at a public primary school in New Zealand as a guide. Using a deductive exploratory research approach, I investigated whether and to what extent themes drawn from TEACCH literature were also evident in my music therapy data. This approach can also be described as secondary analysis of data. That is, clinical data relating to individual and group music therapy sessions with children who have autism was subjected to a process of thematic analysis to answer the research question. The TEACCH philosophy advocates a structured teaching approach in order to support students with autism to develop independence and skills for self management. This study finds that many elements of music therapy practice are closely linked to TEACCH values. Results from the study show that many TEACCH strategies align with fundamental aspects of music therapy, but the frequency and consistency of these similarities can vary due to the diverse strengths and needs of individuals with autism. As the process of comparing the TEACCH literature to my clinical practice developed and changed, some aspects of TEACCH became more integrated within my music therapy practice. The study also highlights the importance of balancing structure and freedom within the work and how musical structure or form can link with TEACCH strategies.</p>