Journeys: an interpretive critique of the Christchurch railway station
Abstract
Reading and interpreting landscape in a new or different way, ‘reading against the grain’,
has the potential to reveal hidden or unintentional aspects of a design. This enables a design to be
reconsidered and examined without being constrained by its canonical interpretation. The third
Christchurch railway station is considered as a structure embodying aspects of Shivaism, highlighting
the potential for train journeys and railway stations to be considered as metaphors for spiritual journeys
and milestones. Discovering symbolic components of an ancient philosophical tradition unintentionally
embodied in the landscape expression of a railway station provides an opportunity to reflect on the
relationship between design intent and design interpretation, and on our own journeys through life.... [Show full abstract]
Keywords
Christchurch; landscape; Christchurch Railway Station; design intent; design interpretation; interpretive critique; journeys; symbolism; historical aspects; heritageFields of Research
1504 Commercial Services; 1599 Other Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services; 1608 SociologyDate
2011Type
Journal ArticleCollections
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