Towards co-creation: A design-led study of ecological shifts in the tidal margin

Pauatahanui Inlet, Porirua supports a diverse ecosystem of aqua-fauna, micro invertebrates and wading birds that rely on the shallow saltmarsh habitat within the estuary. However, with sedimentation from the surrounding catchments slowly filling up the inlet, along with predicted tidal inundation from sea level rise, the future of this coastline is uncertain. Rather than attempt to secure a fixed future for the coastline, as is the prevailing anthropocentric response, this design led research responds to human induced pressures by aligning design with cyclical phenological processes and ecological interactions existing within the harbour. The research ambition is to co-create a shared public tidal realm. A series of interventions were conceived of to test this ambition, located along a coastal boardwalk fringing Pauatahanui Inlet. These interventions consisted of tidal pools, bird hides, elevated lookouts and a marine education centre. Unlike human-focused boardwalks, this infrastructure is designed to support the needs of multiple species simultaneously and has the capacity to adapt as long-term tidal edges shift, in either direction, while facilitating movement for all forms of life to traverse the harbour. The research surpasses perceived barriers between nature and culture with an emergent inquiry into the poetic nature of the site itself. Here landscape design practice is developed towards the creation of social capital as occurring between species, while ensuring the natural ecosystem (and the life it supports) has the capacity to adapt to potential climate related changes.