Background research : Introduction, context, initial findings.
Background research: introduction, context, initial findings - Kate
Intro
Himatangi beach is situated 32 km west of Palmerston North in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand. The small coastal community only has a population of 600, however this drastically increases to several thousand during summer time. Locals and visitors come for the large dunes, beach road and friendly locals. The name Himatangi is said to be derived from a famous warrior chief, Matangi, who fished and killed a taniwha that was killing members of his family. The verb Hi which means to fish was added used to create the name Himatangi.
However Himatangi beach has no signage which reflects this historical narrative and places the beach onto the map as a top holiday destination. Many simply drive by oblivious to the natural beauty a few km down the road.
Audience
The rock:
Has lived in Himatangi all their life, any changes to the overall look of Himatangi will affect me the most.
The dune:
Comes to Himatangi most summers, has a bach at the beach. Enjoys the relaxed beach atmosphere.
The Spade:
Comes to Himatangi for large events such as the Big Dig. Only travels to Himatangi for the events.
The wave:
Passes by Himatangi on the way to or from Palmerston North, has no idea Himatangi Beach is there.
Research. Analysis of Himangi (insert photos)
Our visit to Himatangi
We visited Himatangi in order to gain a valuable insight on the area. We met with the owners of the Himatangi Beach Holiday Park who are also members of the local council and our main client. They explained the small town values and ideals which keep Himatangi running. From this trip we could visualize where our entrance way would be and what ongoing themes we can play with. Some key features of Himatangi which stood out for us were the dunes, the buoy and the driftwood we hope to incorporate these features in our entranceway.
Issues: from a preliminary process perspective
The Issue we plan to resolve for Himitangi Beach is that it is a small town inadequately recognised as a destination. There are many contributing factors to this issue that we will explore solutions to. These issues include the anonymity of Himitangi Beach, there isn’t enough of a name for Himitangi Beach and not enough or large enough signage so people will just drive past because they don’t know the place exists. We want to change that by creating landmarks that solidify Himitangi as a destination and creating a memorable experience that draws people back. Within these landmarks, we want to add character and life to the small town and strongly create a feeling of community by representing the existing community through our designs.
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