Factory in the field : how might the New Zealand creamery be developed as a compelling tourist destination, whilst enhancing the architecture of the utilitarian factory?

Abstract

The commercial Creamery is New Zealand’s undervalued tourist destination, in a society where people are increasingly separated from the production and original source of food. The creamery has the potential to offer an educational and entertaining experience by heightening the appreciation for cheese, whilst enriching Auckland’s tourist industry. Today’s food production facility often presents us with a mundane and utilitarian typology. The current approach to the design of these factories often lacks architectural expression and neglects man’s spiritual and sensory needs. This project addresses the issues mentioned above, by architecturalising the factory through an engagement with the senses, ultimately producing a more humane workplace and engaging tourist experience.

This research project brings together food production with a tourist experience, offering an opportunity to reconnect people to an essential aspect of life and their association with the environment. The existing Puhoi Valley Cheese Company will be redeveloped to accommodate these vital aspects.