America's Cup 2021 - the Auckland Downtown Programme
A key piece of Auckland city centre public realm development underway right now is the Downtown Programme, which will be delivered in time for the America’s Cup in 2021. It involves the reset of the larger part of the Quay Street corridor and adjacent Ferry Basin space.
The programme area marks a physical meeting point of Te Waitematā and the contemporary city, where land meets harbour meets sky. As the traditional front door to the city, holding great significance for Mana Whenua and importance for Aucklanders, this is one of the highest profile and most loved public areas.
New Downtown Public Space in the Ferry Basin area between Princes and Queens Wharf. Image credit - Auckland Council.
A unique process has been implemented by the Auckland Council whānau in the design and delivery of this programme of works, bringing together five of our most experienced public realm design practices to work pokohiwi ki pokohiwi (shoulder to shoulder) with Mana Whenua as a collective. It’s officially known as the City Centre Design Collective.
In adopting a programme approach drawing together a number of individual projects, it requires highly collaborative design between the teams and Mana Whenua to maximise the opportunity.
Amongst the programme design brief, one of the key challenges put to the design collective by the Auckland Council whānau is to significantly lift Mana Whenua design expression and outcomes in this work.
