Comprising two towers, three podium buildings, a landscaped roofscape, and an extensive new laneway and public space network, Downtown West creates a new, integrated mixed-use precinct. Extending beyond the boundaries of the Downtown Carpark itself, the design offers a new vision for the entire city block, reimagining street interfaces, public spaces, and the experience of pedestrians as they move through the city.
Whakairo rākau
The conceptual narrative is guided by a contemporary interpretation of whakairo rākau – an ancient Māori form of expression. The literal meaning of whakairo is ‘to eat away’. Like other forms of sculpture, whakairo is a reductive art form; that is, the artist gradually takes away the extraneous material to reveal the essence of the form. To arrive at the massing of the podium and tower, the design team considered the natural forces of water and light and how they might act on the structure to create an organic form.
This is an incredible, once in a generation opportunity to enhance the vibrancy of Auckland’s city centre, and to create a seamless connection along the waterfront. Our ambition is to deliver a true mixed-use precinct encompassing office, residential, and hospitality as well as new urban spaces for residents and the public.
Te Urunga Hau - The Urban Room
Positioned as a destination within the bustling intersection of movement and activities, Te Urunga Hau, 'The Urban Room', offers a place to gather, connect, and seek shelter. The lower levels are 'carved by water' from the podium mass resulting in a generous public space enriched by both man-made forms and natural interventions. Water and vegetation act as key organising elements within the urban room, together with a flexible ‘stage’ and seating terraces the space can be activated and occupied in a variety of ways. Pocket spaces for play, seating nooks, and integrated vegetation, the wall aims to engage the public in a variety of novel ways as a journey through the laneway space.
The project is being developed in partnership with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei , ensuring it will be uniquely Tāmaki Makaurau and uniquely inspired by te ao Māori. The precinct will include premium commercial, retail and hospitality offerings, drawing thousands of workers and visitors to the area every day. It will also include new homes, growing the city centre’s stature as an urban neighbourhood that tens of thousands of Aucklanders already call home.
