Mary-Ellen Dennerley has received the Hassell Robin Edmond Award for 2015. With the award money, she plans to travel to Cuba to study urban resilience and self-sufficiency. Specifically, she will examine urban farming in Havana and Santiago de Cuba, and analyze how principles of self-sufficiency can be applied in capitalist cities. Dennerley believes this research will benefit the field of landscape architecture by providing evidence that supports green infrastructure and self-sufficiency in urban areas.

1. M A R Y - E L L E N
DENNERLEY
HASSELL ROBIN EDMOND AWARD
2015

2. R E S E A R C H
PROPOSAL
-A self sufficient city?-
CUBA 2015
I am an optimist: I believe that landscape architecture holds massive
potential to solve some of the most prevalent issues of our collective future.
Braced and equipped with the tools, understanding and scope of our
profession we stand at the precipice of this reality. I know that we are up to
the challenge and think that in fact we, as citizens of the developed world
have a responsibility to honor this role for the collective good.In keeping to
this philosophy, I intend to use the prize money to further my education to
improve my understanding of urban resilience and self suffiency in Cuba. I
believe that the knowledge gained from this trip poses significant steps in
fulfilling our role and in doing so improving the profession into the future.
The Robin Edmond award will allow me to travel and stay in Cuba; a country
with a developing urban setting which is significantly different to our own.
Engaging with the local community of Havana and Santiago de Cuba
(the two largest cities on the island) I intend to use the award proceeds to
improve my understand of their urban setting in self sufficiency, gauging
the attributes of this development and also critically analysing how these
specific principles can be applied within a ‘capitalist’ environment. I intend
on paying significant attention to urban farming (which is disputably the
best in the world) along with other self sufficient principles within an urban
context which have developed out of necessity for the country of Cuba.
I believe that this type of enquiry will greatly benefit the profession of
landscape architecture by giving practical evidence that supports and
legitamises the need for green and self suffiency within the urban setting.
Learning, understanding and experiencing the Cuban’s urban farming
strategies and resilient practices will enable me gauge the attributes of
genuinely efficient city fabric to introduce in practical terms upon return.
I strongly believe that a healthy and balanced approach to landscape
architecture is supported by a well-rounded understanding of the world.
The Robin Edmond award would support this philosophy and significantly
benefit my further education by allowing a window into a world which has
beenclosedforsolongbuthasbeenflourishingbehindthescenes.Iintend
touncoversomeofthehiddenintricaciesofthisculture,itsphilosophiesand
most importantly investigate what principles it has to offer the profession
of Landscape architecture to improve the future viability of cities dwellers
I thank you in advance for your time and also for
your consideration for this prestigious award.

3. -Christchurch N.Z-
E L A S T I C
LANDSCAPES
SELECTED PROJECT

4. -Christchurch N.Z-
E L A S T I C
LANDSCAPES
Elasticity/Absorption
Legibility
Adaptibility/Flexibility
Diversity
Knowledge of soil structure
Land left over
Positive outcomes from Liquifaction
Earthquake energy
This project is based around
manipulating grounds of liquefaction
in Christchurch as a response to the
massive earthquakes of 2010 & 2012
I was intrigued to understand more
the unseeable forces which have
deemed large swathes of land
uninhabitable. I went to Christchurch
with a preconceived notion of a
project focused on an earthquake
response strategy. However, I
found the unpredictability of the
earthquakes had already generated
an adaptive response within the
community. What seemed clear was
the opportunity existing between
the un inhabitable rigid suburbia
and their relationship to dynamic
liquefaction areas.
Taking the worst effected area of
Burwood I questioned what exactly
you do with these left over parcels
of land ?How can this site embrace
the dynamic influences to reveal a
changing terrain?
My answer to that question is an
elastic terrain. A terrain which ebbs
and flows with the shifting landscape
to develop dynamic grounds, which
then feeds off the inherent energy of
the sites conditions.
The Problem
Unpredictability of earthquakes & liquefaction in subur-
ban areas of Christchurch, leaving large swaths of land
‘uninhabitable’. Soil drop (liquefaction) in some areas,
high water table & flat topography in the area create
perfect grounds for liquefaction and problematic areas for
infrastructure
The Background
The city of Christchurch, New Zealand sits within active
‘Earthquake country’ where the pacific plate and the
Australian plate collide. Earthquakes are a constant
problem for the residents and decision makers of
Christchurch.
The Opportunity
Using characteristics of this phenomena to counteract
sea level rise, reveal layers over time and aid in legibility
of sites story ,pollution absorption, water filtration,
ecology promotion.
Water Systems: Due to the moisture of the river and its
deposits overtime, the soils adjoining the river are more
susceptible to liquefaction
Topographical change: around the river bends, the
topography has dropped by around 1m and is subsiding
at a rate of 0.2cm per year. This impacts on the ecology of
the river and also the surrounding community.
Built systems:Residential areas (BLUE) have relocated to
subdivisions n + sw of city with growth from 100-2000% .
Major drop in population around the liquefaction areas,
especially those who were hit twice.
Theoretical
Framework
Chosen Site
2010 2012 NOW
UNINHABITABLE
How can this site, positively
embrace the dynamic
influences to reveal a changing
terrain to be visited throughout
the generations?

5. +
Liquefaction effected areas
The Strategy :Framework for experience
The strategy consolidates the site by employing a range
of interventions ranging from high intensity such as the
liquefaction enhancers to the subtlety of weaving past suburbia
backyard exotics with natives for root stabilisation. Each incision
is employed at critical moments in the sites life cycle with
their output achieving a range of objectives connecting to
the bigger picture be it: topographical, geomorphological,
legibility, ecological, climatic or social. There is no end result,
only a changing landscape to be visited into the future.
1. Manipulate
2. Consolidate
3. Enhance
2020 2020
2050 2050
2100 2100
4. Experience
suburban houses
natives for
root stabalisation
changes overtime
legibility of layers
plant out road
corridors
retain exotics
from previous
history.
suburban streets
recycled water edge
versitile slabs
29mm
50m per day
hydrolic
conductivity
penetrate
liquifaction layer.
gravel infill.
earthquakes >> 5
magnitude
6m
8m
_
+
+
+
+
=
=
=
=
The Process : Not absoluteness
The process encompasses 3 distinct phases or ‘operations’.
Accepting time as a crucial element of the ‘design’ the spaces
develop over time and in unison with the subtle intervention to
the site. In this sense these elements set up a framework for the
site to develop around. By manipulating the natural features of
the site this perpetuates or enhances certain elements
Strategy intensity plan which thrive when exposed to such conditions. Contrastingly
consolidating some of the built infrastructure subdues the
permanent human occupation and reveals something much
richer about temporary usage of the site over a long period of
time. What is crucial to the understanding of the outcomes to be
viewed through this lense is that it is not about absoluteness- its
about the framework of experience aided by the manipulation of
natural systems, consolidation of the built environment and the
enhancement of what is left behind.

6. 2020 2050 2100
Native Vegetation
Exotic Vegetation
Existing Houses/slabs
Suburban Roads
River
Liquifaction areas
Layers of chosen site
SchoenoplactusRunning Plagianthus
Regius
Potamopyrgus
(snail)
Histurpties
Incaisa
Shortfin EelCordyline
Australis
Fishing Paracalliope
(crustaceans)
Hiking Spur Winged
Plover
Canoeing Brown Trout Dacrycarpus
Dacrydioides
Area elements
and outcomes

7. Liquifaction
prone area
Remnant
infrastructure
Area deemed
uninhabitable.
Manipulate
liquifaction
Native corridor
Retain exotics
Retain slabs
Soil drop of 52cm.
Sea level rise of
80--cm
Forest habitat
Aquatic activities
abound
NOW
2020
2020 2100
Manipulate
liquifaction
Soil drop of 36cm.
Sea level rise of
30 cm
Backyard exotics thriving
Edge species
retreating
Aquatic species
thriving
2050
2050
2100
Process overtime
Carex Virgata Apodasmia similis Schoenoplactus
Revisiting to tend
to garden
Paracalliope
(crusta-
Blenchnum Novae Cordyline
Australis
BluegillHikingDacrycarpus
dacrydioides
Area elements
and outcomes

8. Strategy in action Section a.
Suburban roads
Forested corridor
Root ‘meshing’
HousesRetain existing exotics
Platforms for experience
Legibility overtime
Elastic edge
Liquifaction promoters
2020 2050 2100
This area demonstrates greatest change in
levels within the elastic landscape. This area
wouldover time become similar to a wetland. A
diverse range of aquatic species would migrate
to this area for breeding ect. whilst various fauna
would flock to the area due to food source. The
area would also allow for changing uses over
time with some areas becoming overgrown suit-
able for exploring and others maintained. The
landscape would become elastic with changing
edges, species, microclimates, users & activities.
All of which respond directly with sites condi-
tions overtime.
Section a.
Location A.
2020
2050
2100