Auckland's CBD Into the future
Auckland's CBD Into the Future
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The Aotea Quarter plan
Auckland's CBD Into the future
Introduction
| Vision and principles
| Action plan
Vision and principles
Vision
Auckland City Council's vision for the Aotea Quarter is: "the city's civic core, cultural heart, arts and
entertainment hub: a vibrant centre for people where senses are indulged,
creativity expressed, activities and events enjoyed, and civic life participated
in."
Principles
The principles below, together with the CBD strategy
principles of safety, accessibility, sustainability, being business-friendly,
quality, adaptability and integration, will guide planning for the Aotea
Quarter.
2005 Aotea Quarter plan (4,000kb PDF)
2010-2015 action
plan (48kb PDF)
The people
The quarter is a people centred environment:
- The Aotea
Quarter is all about people and their experiences. The key driver for
decision-making is 'meeting the needs of people'.
The civic and public nature of the quarter is highly
visible:
- The symbols of democracy are cherished, civic activity is encouraged,
and the cluster of civic and other public buildings is valued and protected. The
design and use of Aotea Square will reflect its status as Auckland's premier
civic square. The current mix of council owned cultural infrastructure (Auckland
Art Gallery, Auckland Central City Library, Auckland Town Hall, Civic Theatre,
Aotea Centre and civic car park) will be retained and enhanced (e.g. with the
addition of Q Theatre and a new arts precinct).
The activity
Art companies locate, create and perform in the quarter
- Performance and other arts and creative groups and
individuals are encouraged to locate, manage, create, rehearse, promote and
present their work in the quarter. The quarter is accessible and affordable for
them.
High quality New Zealand and international arts and
cultural events are showcased
- Local and international arts and cultural activities are
made prominent through a variety of performing arts experiences, cultural events
and activities, temporary and permanent public art displays and exhibitions at
the city's galleries.
There are lots of events, activities and experiences to be
had day and night
- There is a lot going on during the day, evening and at
night. This includes theatre, conventions, music, art and civic and public
activity. The range of events and activities covers the formal to informal,
planned to spontaneous, conservative to fringe, traditional to contemporary,
large and small, public and private, at street level and in venues. Most of the
street level activity occurs in and around Aotea Square.
There are places to go and things to do before and after
shows
- There is a mix of compatible retail activities, such as
bars, restaurants, cafes and specialist stores, giving people a reason to linger
in the quarter day and night.
Economic value will be built for the city through the
quarter's arts, culture, entertainment and convention activity
- The Aotea Quarter will add value to the economy at the CBD,
city, regional and national levels. Businesses want to locate in cities that
provide good leisure environments for their employees and local and
international visitors are attracted to exciting cities. The Aotea Quarter
provides this environment to attract visitors and businesses. The convention
activity in the quarter also brings in local and international visitor dollars.
The place
A mix of arts and cultural venues accommodates fledgling
artists to established companies
- A mix of venue sizes and types is available to accommodate
a range of creative activity and support a range of artists and arts groups,
from fledgling to established, small and large, high art to fringe.
The quarter is easy to reach, easy to move through and the
pedestrian environment is superb
- There is easy access to buses and taxis, the road network
functions well and there is adequate parking for events and activities.
Pedestrians enjoy wandering through the quarter.
Permanent residential accommodation is restricted to the
east-side of the quarter.
- Permanent residential accommodation will be supported in
the Quarter to the east side of Queen Street. Any permanent residential
accommodation will be kept away from the height of activity and noise in and
around the square.
Architecture with the 'wow factor' reflects the creative
nature of the quarter
- The built form needs to contribute to the vision. The
vision is about creativity, vibrancy and culture. The buildings, open spaces and
streetscapes will reflect these elements and be of world class.
The Aotea Quarter - projects and venues
| Key |
| 1 |
The Civic |
6 |
Site of Q Theatre |
| 2 |
Aotea Square |
7 |
Lorne Street upgrade |
| 3 |
Aotea Centre |
8 |
Auckland Art Gallery |
| 4 |
Civic car park |
9 |
Auckland Central City Library |
| 5 |
Auckland Town Hall |
|
|
Updated February 2010
