Subscribe to RSSAn Interesting Waterfront?
I can’t understand the apparent growing criticism in the media of the innovative new ASB building , that will be the first major tenant for a revitalised Wynyard Quarter (formerly known as Tank Farm).
The 6,800 square metre site for the development is at the corner of Jellicoe and Halsey Streets.
Kiwi Income Property Trust has entered into a conditional development agreement with ASB to develop the new head office premises – the total development budget is $121 million and the concept building symbolises Auckland’s volcano.
Concept for ASB's new waterfront HQ
I like it.
We so need innovative shapes around Auckland - and desperately on the waterfront.
It’s true that it’s incredible that after the council allowing the appalling Scene 1 and 2 apartment buildings at the foot of Anzac Avenue, obscuring views of the waterfront, it allows an ugly carparking building going up next to Countdown on Quay St.
The latest big waterfront hole that will be a big new carpark
Why are we continuing to ruin the waterfront at the same time as pretending to talk about making it better and talking up Britomart’s heritage area?
Quay St’s cheapo-and temporary looking McDonalds area is bad enough but the mistakes just keep on coming.
So let’s get behind what’s happening at Wynyard. This is a chance to get things moving in the right direction.
The ugly Quay St will be with us forever
EARLIER; ASB’s plans at the Tank Farm
24 Comments
“McDonalds area”, I like that!
But I admit I also hate the ASB building look. The roof looks ugly, and only emphasises the excessive height it will have for a long time until it is surrounded by more buildings.
“The ugly Quay St will be with us forever”
Actually, there is at least an even chance it will be gone again in 50 years. Like most of the Nelson Street buildings.
The downside is that it will be ugly until then, and also, as it decays, the area will become more (socially) ugly too.
I personally think the ASB building is hideous.
I think it’s OK although the roof is a bit weird.
If it gets built then I think that we will need to seriously consider constructing a tramway between Britomart and Tank Farm so people can get to work there without having to drive.
I’m happy that ASB are looking to move there, it’ll bring workers to a great new place which will be the stimulus for the area, cafe’s bars…. What it must have is a light rail link to Britomart, without it it’ll be cars cars cars. As for the building, better than Scene 1,2 & 3 by miles, they need to be bowled, such a shame they went up. The ASB hat building thing is interesting and kind of weird but maybe weird is needed? I’d like it to be stepped back from the street by a few metres as the street frontage of Jellicoe Stret is a sun trap / wind block and would be a great spot on nice days.
Jeez this is an issue of taste not of poor design.This is not some concrete clab that has been designed with little or no thought to it asthetic appeal. It’s just that the funnel is not everyone’s cup of tea. Are local politicians going to oppose every building that does not appeal to their tastes? It’s no wonder Auckland suffers from inertia and nothing happens here, people don’t know what they want so they just knee jerk react against everything.
Totally agree on the Britomart carpark though. Cooper and Co have pulled a shifty on Auckland there.
“Are local politicians going to oppose every building that does not appeal to their tastes? It’s no wonder Auckland suffers from inertia and nothing happens here”
“Nothing happens here” is in itself a very Auckland complaint, and also totally bullshit. But hey, repeating it often enough ensured that Rodney Hide is now making lots of things happening, including relocating our Council offices to the Beehive.
I thought the issue was height as in too high, too close to the water..?
ingolfson - “nothing happens here” is excatly what happens nothing. Aucklanders are the worst at making up their mind. Look at Qeens walf, we will end up with either a budget terminal or nothing now, Waterfront Stadium? CBD Rail loop? It feels as though nothing happens to me.
ASB is trying to make the waterfront interesting, I’m not sure I personally like the design, but I’m still all for the construction. If it’s because of personal taste just take the risk and build, lets not spend money on a report, delay the construction get fed up build a plain concrete building then conclude the report saying we should have gone with it but to late.
So? It’s not like the ASB building will be STOPPED because of people (or even mayors) moaning. Architects will always have to live with a hefty dose of criticism.
I agree with you that some public projects are really slow of the mark here. And that is a fair reason why a super city might have helped. What we are getting now though is several unelected bodies responsible for such things, especially in transport and on the aterfront - which will work away in their silos.
That may create a lot of things happening. But a lot of things happen in China too, and I don’t want to live there either. Accountability and openness aren’t just things on the downsides of a balance sheet.
“It’s not like the ASB building will be STOPPED”
Its a private building, I am saying, and I assume they have complied with the District Plan requirements, so this will go ahead.
Nothing happens here” is in itself a very Auckland complaint, and also totally bullshit. But hey, repeating it often enough ensured that Rodney Hide is now making lots of things happening, including relocating our Council offices to the Beehive” - A super city is a good idea, it’s how it’s being executed that’s the problem. However I don’t see how dragging Rodney Hide into the conversation was relevant to what i was saying.
And by the way according to the Herald Aaron Bhatnager is trying to get the urban design panel to get ASB to change the design which is what i was reffering to in my first statement. See here:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10629960&pnum=0
It is interesting how much of the comments relate to the ASB building. In my opinion we should be far more concerned about the multi-level carpark going up in front of the Scene apartment buildings. This goes to the very heart of why this city continues to struggle for interest and vitality. It defies belief that here we are in 2010 - getting more so called urban design savy - and we allow 1250 carparks to be built in the heart of the CBD, on a supposedly prized water front - Oh and over the only serious PT transport interchange - go figure! One can almost excuse other forms of shonky development but this one takes the cake - it simply would not be allowed to happen in comparable cities around the world - someone should be held to account. Talk about undermining the efforts for boosting PT patronage with this huge carrot to get people back in their cars into the city. At least with the ASB building we can leverage off that to argue more PT investment into the Tank farm area
“it simply would not be allowed to happen in comparable cities around the world”
Consents are valid for 5 years, may sometimes be granted for longer periods, and people can apply to extend them.
In other words - that car park may well have been given planning permissions 5 or more years ago. Not saying it has, but it could have. Once you give that permission, there is little Council can legally do to retract it, unless the developer substantially changes his proposal. Even then, he can argue “you have given me a right to build a car park that size, you can’t now withdraw it just because I tweaked some things”.
Of course I would not be totally surprised either if the consent was granted 2009…
Is it going to be fronted as a car park? Like the down town car park? Or is it going to have retail or something in the front area to take advantage of the view with car parks being in the internal structure of the building?
The herald article stated it would be retail on the ground floor, car parking on the rest.
Dam, unfortunate design, I would have prefered to have read, retail on the ground floor and apartment / office mix on the rest (for the front of the building), now only cars will have a good view.
I wonder if its too soon to build a building on the tank farm. If its going to be stuck on its own out there for 5 - 10 years will look very silly. Also how many carparks are they planning to build for that? lets hope most car parking is temporary so as the area develops the car parking can be redeveloped.
Really need to sort out the PT links very soon or the area will be very car dependent. Too far from Britomart for a comfortable walk.
This is a great debate, thanks for contributions so far.
A couple of notes on points raised:
- There is provision for four 50m developments within the Wynyard Quarter area.
- Currently some 3500 people work within Wynyard Quarter. This is expected to increase to 14,000 on completion of the project , with a further 7000 living there.
- The plan is for 70% of transport needs to be met by public transport, and it’s still hoped the ARC plan for trams running along the waterfront and across the permanent Te Wero Bridge will be a key part of this.
Auckland needs colour, right now it is just bland compared to WGTN and CHCH. its like tasting chinese food cooked by chefs who has never even tried chinese before!
Give it some character auckland,
Billboards,
painted buildings,
colourful festivals,
they can all help the city some taste.
So dont just sit and whinge at everything they try to build otherwise it would become a box city with no heart.
“Is it going to be fronted as a car park? Like the down town car park? Or is it going to have retail or something in the front area to take advantage of the view with car parks being in the internal structure of the building?”
There will be a massive new Les Mills gym in there. They already advertise that their fitness-concious clients will be able to drive directly there and park easily! Go fitness fans! Go!
http://www.propbd.co.nz/afa.asp?idWebPage=8338&idBobDeyProperty_Articles=13832&SID=727327164
And yeah, aboout one third will be public car parking. Hurrah. Hip. Hip. Hurrah. Just what we needed.
Yip! Agreed! The building is super-ugly, but i love it!! Very interesting and unique. You’ll all love it too when you’re used to it. I’m sure some people cried when the Sydney Opera House was proposed…