DOWNTOWN CONVERSATION
1
MONEY MACHINE
HSBC
DSC
ZURICH HOUSE
We’re the largest owners of premium inner-city business space in Auckland and Wellington.
CITY RAIL LINK PROJECT
We own the city.
This site gives us the ability to acquire something that has provides us with
a holding return
long term development potential but
most optimal time to develop it which in the land of
We get to choose when is the developing buildings, time is often the one thing that can hurt you.”
use the site to develop it, and that factor was likely to determine future development plans. If the Auckland Council is able to proceed with its plans to build a rail loop it will need to
WE GOT TWO GOLD PIPES NEED TO GO UNDER YOUR LAWN
our desire for the downtown precinct
This initiative supports as it is expected to draw many more people into the location and will only enhance the precinct’s attractiveness to city centre occupiers.
We support Auckland Council’s call in the city centre masterplan for this precinct to showcase Auckland, and we are keen for this site, along with our adjacent buildings, to contribute to that vision.”
There was currently ”no demand” for a new office tower in downtown Auckland but the company had options for future development.
We welcome the chance to work together with the council in advancing their vision for the CRL and ours for the future of this location, which we see as
offering a unique opportunity to create a special area in the heart of the city. it would make a lot of sense to
coordinate timing so they can
advance works for the CRL tunnel at this site at the
as we develop the Downtown Centre. same time
by 2021 Auckland’s bus network will have reached capacity and Without the city rail link,
speeds on city roads will have dropped to a creeping
7km/hour during peak time. The City Rail Link will be a catalyst
for urban redevelopment throughout the city centre and this is
work with key commercial and property interests to achieve growth and development for our city a good example of that. The council will continue to
parties will give it their best shot to ensure a win/win deal is put While there are many issues to work through, the
together to secure the tunnel route for the City Rail Link while enabling a new retail and office development to be built.”
council and a property developer to incorporate the proposed City Rail Link (CRL) with the Downtown Shopping Centre is an “exciting development” in the $2.86 billion project.” “Auckland mayor Len Brown says a deal between his
OK, HURRY UP
2
BUILDING AND CITY
SHOPPING COMPLEX BRITOMART ARRIVAL POINT TRANSIT SYSTEM PUBLIC REALM EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES LANDMARK HIGH-END BUT NO HIERARCHY 10+ storeys 5-10 storeys 1-4 storeys
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CULTIVATING SUBTERRAINEA
CANARY STATION CONNECTION TO TRANSPORT HUB
SAPPORO UNDER SHELTER AND ACTIVITIES
MELBOURNE METRO PUBLIC REALM IN VERTICALITY
BRITOMART UNDERPASS WAITING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY
Custom Street underground opportunities for future
“Advert Alley”
I call this tunnel – the sheer number of ads lining the walls is ridiculous. It was OK when used for Wearable Arts photography for a few weeks, but has since reverted to said ridiculousness. -Andrew
Connection to ferry or Queen st would be better. But this one is useful. I prefer it to the I think it’s ok.
Don’t worry we are now in good hands because Westfield’s former GM Design Rod Marler is working for Waterfront Auckland. That’s the guy that wants to put back the shed where the cloud is. A genius.
road cause it’s stressful dodging buses. -Tamaki
-nonsense
Should’ve been through to Downtown shopping centre so one
This access is a typical example of the cost cutting that happened when Britomart was built. The obvious connections were to the ferry building
could walk right into, just like what happens in Japan. Shows how pathetic Westfield is that they didn’t pickup on this or the overbridge opportunity at Henderson. They probably thought like the C&R Auckland City Council of the time that Bmart would just be a white elephant no one used. Saddest things for me are 1) that the nice crepe shop, Great Crepes, didn’t last. Much better than the Subway that replaced it, and 2) The water feature didn’t work permanently. That was original, creative, and cool….Maybe one day. Simon C
Quay Street underground opportunity for future, connecting to ferry piers, creating underground transit.
to the Queen St footpaths south of Customs St. Instead we got an exit and
in the square and the concourse that is supposed to shelter us from the rain but fails dismally for very obvious reasons. I hope that with the rebuilding of Downtown Shops there wil be an improvement …. But I won’t hold my breath. -Don
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
WIND ENERGY
CRL - WIND TUNNEL? MAKING USE OF THE WIND
The Auckland Plan’s aspirational target is to achieve a 40 per cent reduction in GHGs by 2040
The New Zealand Energy Strategy and Energy Efficiency and Conversation Strategy also set aspirational targets for increasing renewable electricity generation (90 per cent by 2025) and the direct use of renewable resources.
WORTH TRYING
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GREEN LINK + WALKABILITY
negative neutral positive
three major green space in the current downtown: Victoria Park; Meyers Park; Albert Park
Pedsestrian-friendly Scale
AM
ST PA PA W AI
W AI
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AM
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AM RE ST AU AM N TU
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STREAM DAYLIGHTING UNEARTH WAIHOROTIU
WYNYARD QUARTER CANAL(PROPSED)
CASE STUDIES CHEONGYECHEON, SEOUL
“Definitely a good idea. Dont know about the cost. Lived in Seoul for 3 years, Cheonggyecheon is really the heart of the city. When I was back in Feb this year, I met a few friends there. Its just such a
The best thing about it is it draws all kinds of people. landmark and hub.
Families go for walks and couples use it as a lovers lane, older couples bring their grandkids along for a walk. It draws the kind of people that wouldnt normally go to downtown .
music and light shows
They had down there at different times, and the space underneath the over bridges was used as gallery space for various local artists.Again drawing a different bunch than the drunk teenagers that queen st normally draws” - Saljen
more attractive
“Would be a whole lot if you’d have something like this alongside the stream: . Imagine how that would attract people into the CBD…” -Orange Kiwi
“This is awesome! I cannot count the number of
in the olden days
“I was concerned that the stream may be dry for parts of the year, this could lead to stagnant pools etc. It would be possible to recirculate from a holding tank at the bottom of queen street back to the top via pumps (and some kind of light filtration) to prevent this stagnation. This would be expensive however due to the high head involved. I agree natural flow would take care of the downhill route. The increased gradient would open up a lot more opportunities than
Things like little pools and small waterfalls would add a lot of character.” the stream above.
-Scott
“It would be a very expensive, high impact project, probably unlikely in the next few decades, but i still like the concept of having a stream running down queen street. In my experience large streams need ~0.1-0.2 cumics of flow minimum to look healthy. Supplementing this sort of water from our high value/quality drinking supply at a dry time of year is
conversations I have had with visitors to NZ who have (gently) expressed their abhorance of our CBD and for many people its the first and last impressions of NZ.. Let alone the improvement it would make for all of us who live here.” -Elspeth
likely to be a very bad look. I think
“That is the MOST awesomest thing! Wish we had the money and guts to do such a project. I Love the idea of Queen Street being covered in grass
-Scott
re-circulating would be a more prudent choice.”
such a strong message to tourists about the value we place on our natural environment, how green we are, how unique etc.” and trees (even if it was just a median strip). It would send
-Lucy JH
pre-restoration
“There’s a growing realisation, here and overseas, that properlymanaged urban waterways offer multiple benefits.”
Rivers and streams can provide the basis for highamenity open space corridors, with walking and cycling routes through our towns and cities. Further
environmental benefits can include improved flow capacity and water quality, opportunities for flood mitigation, natural habitat restoration and – no long-term liabilities for underground pipe replacement! Mark says overseas examples of stream daylighting have shown
economic and social benefits too. “Water edge
property is always at a premium and restored waterways have proved a driving present condition
factor in urban revitalisation. Citizens have quickly engaged with the idea for
inventing nature in the city.”
re-
- Boffa Miskell, environmental planning and design consultancy
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VISIONS
ENGINE ROOM
CORRIDORS
STREAM
ROOFTOP
“ONLY THE WORLD’S BEST IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR AUCKLAND.” -THOMAS O’BRIEN FOUNDER OF CIVIC THEATRE