Matiatia land development
A vision for Matiatia - the design search
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Assessment panel's comments on designs
'A Vision for Matiatia' - Assessors' comments on Stage 2 design submissions
Introduction
The assessors appreciated the opportunity to review the development of the five
Stage 1 submissions, and to more closely examine the potential for each of the
five proposals to fulfil the requirements of the Stage 2 brief.
The assessors were mindful that further changes to the design brief can be
expected prior to the commencement of any development, and hence that an
important consideration will be the extent to which each of the Stage 2 designs
offered a strong framework for development, capable of accommodating such future
changes. The assessors were unanimous in their view that
design 201 offered
the strongest proposal in this regard, while also responding positively to the
other key design issues.
Design 201 (the winning design)
This design retains the underlying development framework advanced in Stage 1,
while also introducing a number of revisions that address previously identified
shortcomings.
The design establishes a number of open spaces of different character, most of
these being well defined by buildings, vehicle and pedestrian routes, or
landscape treatments. Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) issues have been carefully considered at a number of
levels, from broad site planning considerations to the design of individual
buildings. While remaining somewhat tentative, the architectural character of
the buildings has been informed by the desire for the overall development to
respond positively to the special character of Matiatia.
A clear distinction has been drawn between traffic movements related to
Matiatia's role as a transport hub, and that associated with the other
activities within the development. Bus drop off and pick up points have been
positioned a short distance from the ferry terminal, in recognition that
projected increases in bus movements would create problems of congestion at peak
periods, alongside the existing wharf.
The proposal relies upon covered walkways to define principal pedestrian routes
from the ferry terminal to buses and the gateway village. The effectiveness of
these as places of shelter and activity would be enhanced by introducing
buildings along one edge, wherever possible.
The assessors considered that the proposal could be further improved with a
number of relatively simple changes. These include the compression of the
development (in order to reduce the size and scale of open spaces), its
relocation as far towards the existing ferry terminal and the foreshore as
possible, the more comprehensive use of built edges alongside principal
pedestrian routes, and the creation of a more positive relationship between
buildings and the wetland areas.
It was noted that the total building floor area was at the minimum indicated in
the design brief, and that the design approach adopted in this proposal would
readily accommodate an increase in the amount of building should this prove
commercially necessary.
In summary, the assessors considered that the proposal offered a sound yet
adaptable framework for development, capable of accommodating changes in the mix
of building related uses, in response to more detailed commercial feasibility
studies.
Click here to go to Stage 2 design 201
Design 202
The bold concept of a simple linear development following the existing road, on
which the Stage 1 submission was based, has been retained but not convincingly
developed in the second Stage submission. In particular, the Stage 2 design has
not convincingly demonstrated how the linear building forms might accommodate a
variety of uses, and the architectural character of the development was
considered to be unsympathetic to the character of Matiatia and Waiheke. Open
spaces created alongside these buildings remained only superficially developed,
and little information was provided on how the proposal responded to ESD
objectives.
The assessors noted the potential value of the proposal to use part of the
Owhanake site for an education centre, and the direct pedestrian link between
this site and the remainder of the development.
Click here to go to Stage 2 design 202
Design 203
The essentially park-like character of the Stage 1 proposal has been retained in
the second stage. However, minimal changes are evident in the Stage 2 submission
in relation to Stage 1 feedback comments from the assessors. The one way loop
road vehicle circulation has been rerouted through the gateway village, and
would assist in improving commercial viability of the retail areas. While bus
drop off was in this location, bus pick up remained at the ferry terminal, with
possible traffic congestion at evening peaks. Extensive parking areas between
Ocean View Road and this village centre would potentially become a dominant part
of the arrival experience for visitors, and would need careful screening. These
areas would also reduce awareness of the village development for those arriving
from Auckland and following the Ocean View Road route.
Multiple entry/exit points to the parking areas from Ocean View Road and from
the loop road, combined with the use of a one way circulation, was seen as
creating poor legibility and potential confusion for drivers using short term
parking areas. Legibility of pedestrian routes was also considered to be low,
particularly for the first time visitor.
The decision to provide development floor areas by way of a large number of
buildings with small footprints (in order to achieve a park-like character
throughout the development) presented potential restrictions in adaptability of
buildings for future changes in use.
While significant text-based information on ESD features of the proposal was
provided, the assessors considered that this lacked the depth needed to achieve
a flagship development in this respect.
Click here to go to Stage 2 design 203
Design 204
The assessors considered that the potential for an efficient yet relaxed pattern
of development, identified in the Stage 1 design, had not been convincingly
developed in the second stage. The elevated pedestrian boardwalk linking the
Owhanake commuter carpark with the ferry terminal has become a dominant feature
of the experience of the development, yet remained largely divorced from the
more inviting parts of the development and natural features of the site.
The informal "boatshed" character of the buildings indicated in the Stage 1
submission had also been diminished in the Stage 2 proposal, while the quality
of the open spaces between buildings, and the potential relationship of both
these spaces and the buildings to the larger foreshore open space, remained
undeveloped.
Limited attention had been given to the ESD issues, and the assessors considered
that the proposal would be unlikely to achieve Auckland City's aspirations for a
flagship development in this regard.
Click here to go to Stage 2 design 204
Design 205
The assessors considered that the second stage submission had built upon a
number of strengths identified in the Stage 1 proposal, but that aspects of the
Stage 2 design also presented significant problems. In particular, the linear
building development along the southern edge of the site appeared to be poorly
related to the character of the remainder of the proposal. The panel questioned
the environmental impact of the below ground parking associated with these
buildings, and the unresolved relationship with ground levels to the north and
west of this part of the development site.
Extensive areas of open space have been provided within the development, but
these remain poorly related to buildings, and therefore with limited potential
as active places within the development. While able to accommodate large public
events, they would be relatively uninviting at other times. The elevated terrace
above parking areas, while well related to the linear building alongside, was
considered to be less successfully related to the other significant open spaces
within the development.
Click here to go to Stage 2 design 205
