Sam Eichblatt visits the Wynyard Quarter, or Tank Farm, one of New Zealand’s largest ever urban renewal projects.
August 11th, 2011
The traditional criticism levelled at Auckland is that, while it has all the natural advantages — harbours, beaches, gently sloping volcanic cones and greenery — its sprawling, car-centric horizontal development has left the inner city with little in the way of life and soul.
The lack of public access to the water that surrounds it on nearly every side is a particular sticking point. Much of it is tied up in commercial freight facilities belonging to the Port of Auckland. However, August saw the public opening of Wynyard Quarter, popularly known as the Tank Farm.
Located on prime waterfront land, the 26-hectare former industrial facility is the site of one of the largest urban renewal projects ever undertaken in the country.
5 years in the making, and with a price tag of NZ$120 million, the first stage of the mixed-use development includes a new events centre designed by Gordon Moller (who also designed Auckland’s love-it-or-hate-it Sky Tower), 9 restaurants and bars, a footbridge linking to the Viaduct and Silo Park, an urban greenspace overlooking the water and featuring the 35-metre Golden Bay cement silo to mark its industrial past.
Viaduct Events Centre
Silo Park
The neighbourhood adjacent to the Tank Farm has undergone a similar transformation, mixing urban history with future planning.
Jellicoe Street, which runs parallel to the water, has been turned into a tree-lined boulevard, and tram tracks have been installed in the surrounding area, in preparation of the arrival of 2 trams currently being restored at the Bendigo Tramway Museum in Victoria.
Jellicoe Axis
Further stages will deliver apartments, plazas, shops and offices, alongside the local existing marine and fishing activity, with the goal of giving the city the harbourside community it currently lacks.
Waterfront Auckland
waterfrontauckland.co.nz
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Plumes of smoke, delicate glassware and of course a captivating, textured backdrop of sintered stone – take a look at what it takes to bring an image to life as we go on set with Neolith.
The renowned Italian furniture manufacturer presented a range of exciting new indoor and outdoor collections at the world’s most important international design event.
He is trained in many fields, but it is Daniel Dorall’s art practice – informed by his fascination with the formal properties of creating miniature maze-like constructions – that is taking the spotlight.
Catifa 70 by Lievore, Altherr, Molina for Arper, Italy Catifa 70 low lounge high back chair, fully upholstered in fabric or soft leather, constructed in cold molded FR foamed polyurethane to seat and back over mild steel inner frame, with a choice of either central 4-way polished aluminium 360° swivel base or a bright chromed […]
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
The auditorium was full, the vibe electric and the winners truly outstanding last night at the INDE.Awards Gala. Scroll the Indo Pacific’s most outstanding projects and people, here.
KE-ZU’s thoughtful furniture solutions help to bring warmth and comfort to healthcare interiors, to improve patient experiences.
Sophie Vander has her own gallery Curatorial+Co. but she sourced work as needed and brought the inspiration of the moon to this latest project.