Wildlife Gateway Lachlan Munro Chris Barton & Lindsay Mackie
Wildlife Gateway Lachlan Munro Chris Barton & Lindsay Mackie
The excitement of a visitor In recent years Auckland has seen an increase in the number of visiting cruise ships. Having these ships dock right at Auckland’s front door makes not only financial and practical sense but it creates an exciting and impressive scene on the city scape. Its means cruise ship passengers are delivered right into the heart of the city, with easy access to public transport, shops and hotels. Having this type of tourist activity right in the city centre is a key element in making the waterfront a lively and iconic part of Auckland. Auckland has grown alongside its harbour activities for over 150 years, it is an important part of Auckland’s history and an important link to the city’s origins.
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Wildlife Gateway Lachlan Munro Chris Barton & Lindsay Mackie
The site Bledisloe Wharf is approximately 130ha. The existing B3 terminal running along Bledisloe’s western side is approximately 470m long, half of which is dredged to 12m, the depth required for today’s large cruise ships. I propose Marsden Wharf be demolished with some of its timber piles remaining while others can be relocated around the site as these support a range of sea life. Bledisloe’s B3 terminal is located at the bottom of Britomart Place and a short walk to the train station and Queen Street.
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Wildlife Gateway Lachlan Munro Chris Barton & Lindsay Mackie
Reuse The area around the north and east of Bledisloe Wharf will be broken up into smaller areas, with the existing timber piles from Marsden Wharf and Bledisloe Wharf being relocated. Studies have shown that the timber piles in Auckland Harbour can support many forms of sea life, including NZ green lipped mussels, sea stars, seaweed crabs, and brown kelp, some could also be modified to create nesting places for sea birds. The existing large rocks will be clustered into small ‘islands’ to provide shelter, food and nesting places for birds and insects. A proposed walkway will transverse and weave in-between the bird nesting poles, rock islands and sandspits.
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Wildlife Gateway Lachlan Munro Chris Barton & Lindsay Mackie
Jurong Bird Park: https://randleslikecandles. wordpress.com/tag/jurong-bird-park/
A unique welcome New Zealand prides itself on its clean green image. We have an amazing range of unique native flora and fauna. As well as process passengers, a new cruise ship terminal could also be an opportunity to showcase some of New Zealand’s rich native plant and bird life. This would create a unique and memorable greeting for cruise ship passengers when arriving in New Zealand. This would also provide an attraction to the waterfront when cruise ships are not in port, meaning the facility is used all year round.
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Wildlife Gateway Lachlan Munro Chris Barton & Lindsay Mackie
Native trees The leaves of the kauri tree where once traditionally used for welcoming, waving the leaves is a welcome to the living, the dead, and the influences they have on that person. Kowhai, pohutukawa, puriri, kohuhu and fuchsia trees were also prevalent in the coastal forests that once surrounded the Waitemata. All of these provided a wide range of birds and insects with food and shelter. I propose reintroducing these trees across my site and inside the new terminal.
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Wildlife Gateway Lachlan Munro Chris Barton & Lindsay Mackie
Showcasing New Zealand’s native birds The Kawau tokitiki or the Spotted Shag is an entirely marine bird confined to the New Zealand region and are common in the Haukari Gulf. They fly in a triangle like formation and are a term of respect afforded to visitors when arriving in the harbour by the people of Tamaki. Tui, Bell Brids, Kokako and the endangered New Zealand Dotterel can also be spotted around the Auckland region. I propose attracting these birds back to the water front with native trees and also an aviary with facilities to allow for continued education and study of our native birds.
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Wildlife Gateway Lachlan Munro Chris Barton & Lindsay Mackie
Swingbridge in Fiordland: http://www.travelmagpie.com/new-zealand-from-the-inside/piopiotahi-aka-milford-sound
A unique entry and experience Swing bridges are a frequent site along many of New Zealand’s walkways and tracks. A swing bridge could be used to lead the passengers through, around and down the tree tops to the terminal floor after disembarking their ship. This combined with a sound of native birds would form a unique and memorable experience and introduction for cruise ship passengers arriving in New Zealand.
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Wildlife Gateway Lachlan Munro Chris Barton & Lindsay Mackie
Waitomo Caves Visitor Centre: http://trends2012.tmsreview.com/Article14642/TheGulfAndAsia/OfficeDesign Paper Nautilus Shell: Auckland War Memorial Museum, personal photo
An open air facility New Zealand’s wide range of native birds and trees is best experienced in the outdoors. A large canopy could protect and shelter all of the functional requirement of the terminal as well incorporate a bird aviary with native trees. This open air structure could take the form of a birds wing or the Paper Nautilus Shell, a rare paper thin shell which can sometimes be found washed up on beaches around Auckland.
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Wildlife Gateway Lachlan Munro Chris Barton & Lindsay Mackie
Existing facilities Auckland’s existing primary cruise ship terminal is Shed 10 which has a floor area of approximately 4,400m2 over two levels. To compare this to other cruise ship terminals Sydney’s new White Bay Cruise Terminal is 5,000m2. Japan’s Yokohama’s cruise ship terminal is built on a 400m x 135m wharf with the terminal taking up most of that at 48,000m2. Auckland has had to turn away the Ovation of the Seas because it could not accommodate it due to its size (350m long). With Marsden Wharf removed and the sea bed dredged to 12m along the entire length of the B3 wharf it means there will be in excess of 450m of berthing space.
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Wildlife Gateway Lachlan Munro Chris Barton & Lindsay Mackie
Concept site plan I want to blend the new terminal with its coastal site, as well as creating a unique experience of disembarking and boarding the ship. I propose to break up Bledisloe Wharf, particularly the outer edges, with a boardwalk that will weave in and out of the trees, boulders and sandspits. Kowhai, pohutukawa and karaka trees, as well as flaxes and grasses will replace the existing concrete as a symbol of the type of coastal forest that once grew along the Waitemata. Sea inlets will travel through the site attracting wildlife and insects.
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