Urban design framework

Designing great places for our people

The issues for Auckland

Auckland faces some significant issues as it develops into a global city this century. Some of the key challenges and how the practice of urban design can respond are described below.

2.1 Global positioning

Auckland is increasingly competing on the world stage for a mobile, skilled workforce and for international investment. The city faces issues such as quality of transport infrastructure, rising housing and land costs and a growing shortage of skilled workers.

New Zealand's export performance has been poor over the last decade. The Auckland region's income per head is lower than comparative cities and is around 27 per cent lower than its Australian counterparts [4].

Half of the nation's creative sector is employed in the Auckland region [5].

Urban design has a key role to play in tackling some of these issues and promoting Auckland in the global market, through the manipulation of our physical environment. The city's economic success requires an excellent transport infrastructure and nurturing of a high-quality, exciting urban environment. Research has shown this is particularly important in attracting and retaining creative industries, which are increasingly playing a vital role in Auckland's economy [6]. An increasing number of lucrative cultural and sporting events, such as the Rugby World Cup in 2011, will also help raise the profile of Auckland and attract significant numbers of visitors. This will help create a more vibrant and successful city.

2.2 A growing population

Auckland city's population is growing rapidly. On current projections, the city could gain 141,800 people over the next 20 years. That equates to about 20 new people each day. Two thirds of the city's growth is natural increase. This makes Auckland the third fastest growing city in Australasia.

The increasing cultural diversity that accompanies this growth has brought a new sense of energy and vitality. However, it has also increased the pressure on housing supply and affordability, and revealed some shortcomings in building processes and quality. Urban design has a key role to play in the provision of quality housing that must not only meet people's basic need for accommodation, but also the need for high-quality neighbourhoods that support the formation of robust and healthy communities.

2.3 Rising energy costs

Like many other major cities, Auckland is heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Failure to anticipate and adequately prepare for any significant price changes in fossil fuels could affect Auckland's position in the global marketplace and have greater consequences on our basic quality of life.

Urban design has a key role to play by providing a more compact urban form that helps reduce our energy consumption and helps
to prepare for any significant changes in energy costs. This includes:

reducing our dependence on the private car and the need to travel
advocating for more energy efficient buildings
advocating for the use of more renewable energy.

"The future of civilisation will be determined by its cities and in its cities. Today's cities are consuming three-quarters of the world's energy and causing at least three-quarters of the global pollution."

Richard Rogers and Phillip Gumuchdjian, Cities for a Small Planet, 1997.

2.4 Car dominance

Cars at the port

The second half of the 20th century saw massive growth for Auckland. An abundance of relatively inexpensive land together with cheaper cars and fuel saw the geographical area of Auckland grow massively with few constraints.

This has resulted in a relatively, low-density urban form to the city and region, with land uses separated and spread out which makes it difficult to provide efficient public transport. This can lead to congestion with its associated social and economic costs, together with the environmental and health impacts of pollution.

In Auckland, pedestrians are currently given much less priority than cars.

As places become less attractive to walk around, this can lead to serious health issues. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in New Zealand, accounting for 40 per cent of deaths annually (approximately 10,500) [7]. Obesity has also been linked to car-based suburban living.

Urban design has a key role to play by helping to create higher quality environments that support public transport and give pedestrians much greater priority. A more compact urban form where land uses and destinations are closer together will reduce our need to travel and can create environments where walking is considered a more attractive option. This can help to save energy and money, while improving the health of our population. Urban design can ensure that intensification can be achieved without loss of amenity and can increase variety and choice along with improved public space.

2.5 Social equity

Talbot Park is an example of a high density
neighbourhood - photo courtesy of
Housing New Zealand

Rising land and house prices is also a concern facing most world cities and the ability to maintain affordable and high-quality places to live is an important issue.

Urban design has a key role to play in improving social equity through creating much higher density, mixed-use neighbourhoods that use land more efficiently and contain a greater choice of house types and tenures. The improved provision, location and quality of connections to key services - such as community facilities, open space and public transport interchanges - can play a significant role in addressing social inequality by promoting walking and improving access for those who do not have the use of a private car. Urban design can also encourage healthy environments inside buildings, by positioning them where they can maximise northern solar gain.

2.6 The natural and historical environment

The Hauraki Gulf, twin harbours and volcanic cones create one of the most dramatic settings for a city anywhere in the world. The fast pace of change in a growing city such as Auckland places both our natural environment and our built heritage under threat and we must take care to ensure we give protection to these important assets.

Urban design has a key role to play in helping to ensure that development responds much better to our natural and historic environment by exercising much greater quality control over the appearance and function of buildings. The appropriateness and quality of materials; the way the building is placed within the natural landscape and built environment; and how the building performs with regard to consumption of resources and production of waste are all issues that can be addressed through the application of good urban design principles and policies.

2.7 Maori perspective and sense of place

Auckland's distinctive Maori foundations have shaped the city and its sense of place over the last 1000 years.

Maori see themselves as belonging to the land, as opposed to the land belonging to them, and the natural environment plays a significant role in defining a Maori sense of place. Maori often use natural markers such as mountains, rivers and harbours to identify themselves as belonging to a particular area. This has implications for a Maori sense of place in an urban environment where many of these markers have been modified.

Urban design has a key role to play in:

controlling and shaping development in order to protect and enhance this unique sense of place
providing for people to see themselves reflected in their environment.

Urban design can advocate for greater collaboration in the decision-making process and promoting Maori perspectives to ensure that our city becomes more respectful of its distinct identity.

Statistics New Zealand 2006, Auckland City Council, 2007.
Auckland City Council, "Blueprint - Growing Auckland's creative industries", 2007.
"The case for Auckland", Committee for Auckland, 2006.
National Heart Foundation of NZ: www.nhf.org.nz/index.asp?pageID=2145831169

Published January 2008