Auckland's CBD Into the future
Auckland's CBD Into the future
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Auckland's CBD Into the future
Queen Street upgrade
Project summary |
Mobility parking |
Consultation |
Budget and funding |
Trees | |
Artworks |
Urban design |
Heritage |
Auckland's CBD Into the future strategy |
CBD retail strategy |
Facts |
History of Queen Street |
Reducing the speed limit
Project Snapshot
Auckland's most famous street, Queen Street has been transformed into a
world-class, people-friendly main street, evoking the very heart and soul of
Auckland.
Planning for the Queen Street upgrade began in 2003 and included extensive
market research and consultation with CBD residents, businesses, organisations
and visitors. Construction began in January 2006 and the upgrade was completed
in May 2008. A priority of the upgrade was to provide greater pedestrian safety
given more than 40,000 people walk along Queen Street every day.
Improvements on Queen Street:
- wider footpaths
- new street furniture and art works
- improved street lighting
- new pedestrian crossings
- shorter waiting times at lights
- raised central median strips
- more planting and trees.
Some special street features
Street trees go native
The Queen Street upgrade saw a new emphasis on native trees
and the natural environment. Native planting including Nikau palms and cabbage
trees. The palms and cabbage trees were chosen because
they are iconic, well-loved native trees that are local to Auckland and will
grow well in the urban environment.
Urban design embraces art, history and culture
A key element of the street upgrade was creation of unique furniture, lighting
and artwork elements that complement Auckland's land, history and culture.
Developed in collaboration between the council, architects, designers and
artists, the works include:
-
street furniture designed by Humphrey Ikin and manufactured by HUB Street
Equipment. The furniture creates robust, flexible seating with a strong
Pacific flavour
-
'perchable' seating designed by sculptor John Edgar
-
Te Waka Taumata O Horotiu, a sculptural artwork produced by Fred Graham
which is located at the junction with Swanson Street
-
the collaborative Source artwork located outside the Civic Theatre
-
Inanga paving, developed in conjunction with local iwi, that has been inlaid
in the footpath paving pattern to recall the Inanga (whitebait) that was
present in the Horotiu Stream which ran down the Queen Street valley.
Looking ahead ten years
Special destinations in the CBD, such as Queen Street, Vector Arena and
Britomart, the upgraded art gallery and central library along with planned
waterfront developments are expected to attract more visitors to the CBD in the
future. The revitalisation of the CBD under the council's
Into the Future
Strategy will support this trend via the introduction of high urban design standards and
materials.
