Queens Wharf – my thoughts
The debate over Queens Wharf, and what to do with it, has been raging in Auckland now for quite a few months. There was the design competition, which led to a variety of designs being produced, which nobody seemed particularly happy with. Then the various politicians involved took a break to think things over, and now it seems as though the outcome has been a more ‘grandiose’ proposal for the area. Here’s the brief article in today’s NZ Herald on the topic:
A fine-tuned version of the proposal to revamp Queens Wharf has received approval from three Auckland mayors.
Auckland Transition Agency chairman Mark Ford – in charge of salvaging last year’s Government bid to sell civic leaders on the idea of a combined cruise ship terminal and “party central” venue for Rugby World Cup 2011 – has shown the region’s mayors the latest concept. The public will get to see it this week.
The Government, through Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully, will be presented with the region’s recommended options this month.
One is thought to be a rethink of a refined version of last year’s winner of a design competition entry, which was never announced.
“The concept is a terrific design and I think it’s right to proceed,” said Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey.
Manukau Mayor Len Brown said: “It’s not bad – I like it.”
North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams’ verdict was: “It’s a stunning piece of architecture – modern but with a certain amount of South Pacific flair.”
However, Auckland City Mayor John Banks had not changed his view from last year that a decision on the wharf should not be rushed before the Super City Auckland Council starts in November and a masterplan is developed for the waterfront.
“We do not want another crass building in Auckland,” he said.
Instead of a concept costed at $100 million to $110 million, Mr Banks has plumped for a $10 million spruce-up of the old wharf for the cup tournament.
He said Wellington should not be deciding the waterfront’s future and sending the bill to the Super City.
However, Mr Brown, who is Mr Banks’ rival for the mayoralty, said yesterday that the refined Jasmax/Architectus design was the best he had seen so far.
He was comfortable with a cruise ship terminal going on the wharf and supported it if the business case showed it was essential to do it before the cup because of extraordinary economic benefits now and later.
Mr Harvey, who is a member of a Government group to promote events for the cup, said the region should commit itself to the concept, which uses about a quarter of Queens Wharf.
“Right now we have to have this project sorted and stop going backwards and forwards.
“But I think any iconic building needs to be put on the backburner for 10 years or so and placed on Wynyard Wharf.”
Mr Williams said Auckland could not afford to wait a year or two for a new cruise liner terminal and if the concept received good Government and regional support “it should move ahead at pace”.
Mr Brown said the ultimate decision rested with the Auckland City Council, Auckland Regional Council and the Government.
While it seems like we’ll have to wait until later this week to see the most recent design unveiled, it would appear as though the most recent plan will probably involve a bigger and fancier building, will definitely see a decent chunk of the wharf being used as a cruise-ship terminal, and might be more likely than previous options to see the current sheds removed.
But is that really what we need on this site? My thoughts since the very beginning of this saga have revolved around the concept that “less is more”, and what Auckland really needs on this site is a high-quality public space – rather than an iconic building or a cruise-ship terminal. Much of the reasoning behind this opinion is based on the fact that right next to Queen Wharf we have Princes Wharf. And Princes Wharf looks like this:
My point of posting that photo is not to complain about the design of the building on Princes Wharf, as I actually quite like the way it sort of, but not quite, looks like a big ship. The point is to show that Princes Wharf is clearly not a public space and it clearly is a big building. So we’ve really got the whole “lack of public space” and “big building” thing covered here. We already have a cruise-ship terminal covered here as well, although I do realise it’s reasonably common to have two ships that want to dock at the same time.
What I think we need at Queens Wharf is something that will balance with Princes Wharf to create a Waterfront of exceptional quality. And in my opinion that means something quite different to what is shown in the picture above. Something that, instead of being another huge building or another chance for some fancy architect to create something we’ll hate in 20 years time, will be focused on celebrating Auckland’s maritime history and something that – above all – will be a good public space. Quite simply, for Queens Wharf to be a success it should be a place that people want to flock to on a sunny summer’s Sunday afternoon. Perhaps a bit of grass for people to kick a ball around on, perhaps a nice seating area with a cafe for people to get ice-creams and coffees from while they watch the boat sail past, perhaps some funky market to buy fresh fruit or interesting little trinkets from, perhaps an art gallery space to show off the best of Auckland’s creativity? The options seem endless, but the purpose must be clear: this should be a space that people want to go to so they can enjoy Auckland’s waterfront.
I don’t think that includes having a massive bulky cruise-ship terminal taking up half the wharf. I don’t even think it involves creating some “iconic” building that has an equal chance of being hated as it does of being loved. Once again, less is more here – the more space that stays available for use by the general public the better.
Which brings us to the question of “what to do with the existing sheds?” These sheds have been unfortunately disparaged by many, but the fact remains that they are coming up to 100 years old and are the last real remnants of the Auckland Waterfront as it would have been in the 19th and early 20th century. This city’s history is completely revolved around the waterfront and the trading link it created between New Zealand and the rest of the world. So I think it would be a huge shame to lose that history and to end up with the impression that our waterfront is, and always has been, either a modern-looking port or wharves with fancy modern buildings on them.
There’s also the fact that the sheds have massive potential to be adaptively reused in ways that would retain their value as a link to Auckland’s past, but at the same time enhance the wharf and add value to it as a public space. Perhaps we need to look at what Seattle has done with its “Pike Place Market” or what Vancouver has done with “Granville Island“. Both places use heritage warehouses or sheds to house thriving markets. Here’s a few photos – first Pike Place Market and then Granville Island.
Pike Place Market above, Granville Island below:
A big market like this is what I feel Auckland lacks desperately at the moment. I have personally visited both the Pike Place Market and Granville Island, and I can verify that both places were absolutely packed with visitors and locals – both those buying produce but also those just enjoying the experience of the market. The sights, the sounds, the smells and so forth.
Having something like that in the existing sheds on Queens Wharf would be a fantastic outcome I reckon.
Maybe I missed this part of the saga, but what is wrong with the existing cruise ship terminal on Princes wharf?
Good question Nick. Not big enough perhaps, or maybe that we need two of them as often (occasionally?) there are two cruise ships in town at the same time?
I think they predict many more than 1-2 ships in Auckland at a time so want a cut of the action – again it’s about big business not open space.
It remains to be seen what the new Jasmax Architectus design is – one variant of theirs retained one of the large sheds (see here http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VCVdBsbHtAs/SzGBqiVibdI/AAAAAAAAAvY/bsguPclmr9c/s1600-h/QWDes4.jpg) which would mean it could quite easily be reused as a Pike’s Point type of market. I agree that this is one of the gems along Seattle’s waterfront, it’s busy, rustic and a nice spot to wander. The rest of Seattle’s waterfront leaves a lot to be desired..It would be great to have something like that in Auckland, especially with the talk of night markets and ACC’s call for someone to run one, Queens Wharf would be a great spot.
The odd thing here is that Mike Lee’s such a fan of the cruise-ship terminal, seemingly wanting it as big and flash as possible. I normally agree with him on most matters, but here his stance just seems illogical and at odds with most of the other stuff he says about improving urban outcomes.
Maybe a result of the conflicting aims of the ARC and Ports of Auckland?
yeah this is one area where I kept thinking, why is it I agree with Banks and disagree with Lee!
The market is a good idea, a functional people-friendly use that can attract locals and tourists alike to the waterfront and ensure the place has life and vibrancy.
Auckland needs a good market, not just for the snack stalls and street performers, but somewhere you can go to get good fresh produce and speciality goods.
Browsing through the market and grabbing a bite to eat could become a favourite activity of Aucklanders.
Well there we have it, once again, it’s old with the old in with the new – ‘cos new is always better don’t you know…..
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10625026
Totally agree. When are you standing for Mayor Jarbury?
Crikey RTC, that new plan looks like one freaking massive building. I am glad to see a bit of grass ending up on the wharf, but it still seems stupid to give half of this precious public space away.
Scott, maybe 2030? Isn’t it compulsory to be an old fart before becoming mayor?
I agree with most of your comments, Jarbury, but we should also be careful about getting some uses down there (wide open public spaces do not fill themselves with public life, especially when they are just a wee bit too far away to attract that many people to the “edge” – the outer end of a wharf from where they have no other route to go except back the same way).
I like the idea of the market, though I wonder if the CBD already has enough population to support it. Again, the being at the egde rather than the centre of the CBD comes into play.
So in total, I think some sort of building / commercial uses on the wharf isn’t too negative at all.
One of those sheds would be perfect for a market hall, particularly if all the nice kauri inside was cleaned up. Is there any room in the latest proposal to save one of them?
The Britomart market (Saturday am) is probably one of the most depressing spectacles I’ve encountered since returning here, particularly if you compare it to successful European examples such as Borough in London (http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/) or even the organic market at the Seine end of boulevard Raspail (http://www.linternaute.com/paris/magazine/diaporama/06/marches/raspail/1.shtml). The sad fact of the matter is (with the possible exception of fish) we seem to have lost the ability to buy our food from anywhere other than supermarkets. I’m all for street markets; where properly managed they encourage diversity and add a level of richness to quotidian life but to see it evolve back in Auckland is something that I suspect won’t happen while our tastebuds are dominated by the like of Pak ‘n’ Save!
Wow, a market would be great, especially as the existing Britomart market is destined to be replaced by yet another tower block! – I am so with you on this one.
Unity
It’s an interesting point Christopher. I think the temporary nature of markets works against them, as you need to know when and where they’ll be on. I envisage the Queens Wharf markets to be open every day – being very permanent and offering a wide variety of food and other stuff.
Yes. If it was open everyday people would soon start to know about it and it would become a tourist/local destination for those already in town.
“One of those sheds would be perfect for a market hall, particularly if all the nice kauri inside was cleaned up. Is there any room in the latest proposal to save one of them?”
Not really, as the closer to the CBD shed would go for the new cruise terminal, and the other one would be in the way of public space access to the tidal stairs end…
The original plan from Jasmax had the shed retained and it didn’t impact on the tidal stairs so it can be done if needed – it could also be moved closer back to the entrance to queens wharf I’d have thought if need be.
I can see the merit in using the sheds as a market there, but I tend to think that people are going to visit the point of Queens Wharf anyway – irrespective of whether a market is there or not – and most will want to be outside (weather permitting).
For that reason I would rather have the market permananently located in the CBD area, to try and continue building vibrancy there, particularly after 6pm. If there was the available space, we could even look at moving the sheds there, so that they could be retained.
In Fremantle (Perth, WA), the fishing boat harbour was (re)developed to have a range of restaurants and cafe’s around a working harbour. There’s a mini-brewery/restaurant in the largest warehouse (Little Creatures), and a bunch of upscale fish&chips restaurants.
The harbour is still a commercial fishing dock, as well as having pedestrian walkways and public spaces, and some of the restaurants own their own fishing boats, which unload right into the shops.
Keep the sheds!
Marsoe – the thing is, the whole heritage sheds-fishing boats-restaurants thing is already being done (in progress) about a 5min walk west of this, at the North Wharf site. So I’m not sure it needs to be replicated at the tip of Queens Wharf.
Maybe the sheds could be moved to somewhere near North Wharf, to establish a bigger “marine heritage” area.
Queens Wharf does seem like a site where it’s more likely to work though. Whilst I am sure that Wynyard Quarter will become a fantastic place over time, I think that it will take a while before it is of sufficient size to actually generate a sense of vibrancy there.
I don’t know if you could move, or would really want to move, the sheds. So much of their heritage value relates to them being on Queen Wharf.