Karanga-a-Hape Station Journey to Completion brochure

Karanga-a-Hape Station

THE JOURNEY TO COMPLETION

“Ko te pae tawhiti whāia kia tata, ko te pae tata whakamaua kia tina”

“Pursue the distant horizon while cherishing the knowledge and learning you attain along the way”

The name ‘Karanga-a-Hape’ is a grammatical correction of Karangahape. Named for the great calling of Hape, who was left behind by his people when he was denied passage across the ocean in his waka (canoe). After performing a karakia (prayer) he was gifted a kaitiaki (guardian) - a stingray - and together they crossed the water to arrive in Aotearoa ahead of the Tainui waka that left before them. The name Karanga-a-Hape celebrates Hape’s call to welcome his own relatives who had denied him passage.

Karanga-a-Hape Station highlights

 Beautifully designed station entrances on Mercury Lane and Beresford Square

 Modern underground train station, future-proofed for nine-car trains

 Longest escalator in New Zealand (40 metres) at Beresford Square

 Upgraded underground utility services

 New road surfaces with dedicated bus lanes, bus stops, and loading zones

 Enhanced public spaces, including a new plaza at Beresford Square

 Tree grove in Beresford Square

The key design kōrero for the station entrance buildings is the Māori creation story which has been gifted to the project by mana whenua. Legend has it that Sky Father, Ranginui, was in a lasting embrace with Papatūānuku Earth Mother, and Tāne, their son, pushed them apart to create light, and this life.

Four separate design elements are key aspects of delivering the creation story in our stations.

❶ Sky Element

A hardworking permeable, breathable skin that responds to the functional and technical requirements of the station. The orientation of the sky element shingles, allows for air intake and exhaust for the louvres sitting behind. The sky element at Mercury Lane is an expression of Te Ika-whenua-o-te-rangi, the Milky Way constellation, representing Ranginui.

❷ Fourth Element

Represents Te Whaiao (the daylight or glimmer of dawn). It is a transitional element, providing layering, solidity and reflectivity to connect the earth element with the sky. A physical reminder of the act of Tāne pushing apart his parents, Ranginui and Papatūānuku.

❸ Threshold Element

These are unique to each station and represents an aspect and narrative relating to each station’s Māori deity (atua), or god. The threshold is the physical point between the outside streetscape and inside the station.

❹ Earth Element

Representing Papatūānuku (Earth Mother) the earth element is depicted by precast concrete panels, the colour and texture of which mirror the Waitematā sandstone often seen exposed on Tāmaki Makaurau’s cliffs.

Integration of te ao Māori into station design

Maramataka

‘Me te Ōturu’ - ‘Like the full moon’. Users of the Beresford Square entrance will notice a large-scale installation of metal rods flowing between semi-circle downstands, depicting the Maramataka – or the Māori lunar calendar above the concourse. The way that the rods cross over and intersect represents lengths of time and seasons.

Pūpūrangi

Three pūpūrangi (kauri snail) shells grace the ceiling of the entrance building foyer, paying homage to the kauri forests that once graced the Karangahape ridgeline. The shells are an ancient type of symbolism from Waitākere and are a signal for the ongoing health of the environment from the great forest of Tāne.

Atua panels

Three 3m x 9m ‘Atua panels’ form the threshold element at the station entrance on Mercury Lane, creating a levitating mass between the Sky and Earth Elements. Designed by artist Reuben Kirkwood (Ngai Tai) the moulded panels depict Ira Atua, representing the celestial realm and Ira Tangata, representing the terrestrial realm.

Vent shaft profile

In the northeast corner of Beresford Square sits the vent structure, 6 metres tall and 1.9 metres wide, conceived as a kaitiaki (guardian). The vent structure represents Te Pō – or the darkness of the galaxy – with darkened concrete, identical to that of the Atua panels at Mercury Lane, materially connecting the two entrances.

The surface of the vent features intersecting lashings carved into it and embellished with bronze figures, known as manaia, adorning all four sides. The manaia both enhance mana and reinforce the theme of taowaru – or genealogy.

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The beautiful, crisp lashing effect is the result of collaboration between the artist, designers and fabrication team.

 A patina finish gives the bronze manaia an aged, weathered look that evokes the hues and texture of pounamu.

Realm

Construction of Karanga-a-Hape Station’s two entrance structures will be complemented by finishing touches that make the area functional and attractive, in the form of urban realm.

Urban realm works will see the beautification of public spaces within Karanga-a-Hape Station’s footprint.

These above-ground works are essentially the icing on the cake for the project, transforming construction zones into inviting, architecturally designed public spaces. Urban realm activities include laying paving tiles, installing tree pits, trees, street furniture, kerb stones and road resealing.

Urban

The heart of Tāmaki Makaurau is being transformed

Karanga-a-Hape Station will be a state-of-the-art gateway to this vibrant inner-city community with its unique mix of shops, galleries, accommodation, eateries and entertainment venues.

The new station will have two entry and exit points –one on Mercury Lane (next to the Mercury Theatre) and the other in the centre of Beresford Square. Both entrances will be enhanced by new public spaces that include wider paths, bike parking, landscaping, lighting and street furniture.

The Mercury Lane entrance will feature a stunning architecturally designed ceiling that reflects a vast spreading canopy of kauri trees, evoking Tāne Mahuta and the Māori creation story. As you pass through the space, a series of large climbing patterns are revealed. Escalators or a lift take you down 27 metres to the platforms. While at the Beresford Square entrance,

a glass lift or 40 metre escalator will take passengers directly from the ticketing area to the platforms, 33 metres beneath Pitt Street. The overall experience is of rising from and descending into the earth, with incorporation of subtle colour differences that reflect the geological layers of the earth as people descend to platform level. The mana whenua design influence means the City Rail Link stations will look like no others in the world, proudly Auckland and uniquely New Zealand.

City Rail Link will enable Auckland’s rail network to double in capacity and carry up to 54,000 passengers an hour.