Next stop, (insert town centre here)

Abstract

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can an architectural intervention transform an Auckland suburban town centre to integrate public transport whilst accommodate public and private amenities?

ABSTRACT: Transportation is one of the main drivers behind the planning of a city. In Auckland, private vehicular transport along with public transport has affected how the city is shaped. As part of the ongoing development, Dominion Road has plans to introduce a light rail train system by 2026, which will add another mode of transport to the area. There will be a variety of precincts to where the stops may be added. The precincts that the stops will be located in will be transformed by the additional transport route and population growth. Architectural interventions will be needed in order for the precinct to progress in parallel with this growth.

The design of the transport hubs in the suburban centres of Dominion road, is where different modes of transportation intersect. The aim is to re-design the existing buildings, to propose and subtract existing buildings, and create civic spaces. Ultimately this project will be dealing with culture and transport which will be reflected in the design of the transport hub. The project investigates both Mount Roskill and Balmoral to see which has the best potential for growth, and which has valued architectural character (historically and aesthetically), as well as the transport patterns. Through this analysis Balmoral was chosen as the site of the design intervention. Various academic texts have been utilised elating to similarsized suburban city environments, and mixed typology precedents. Local examples of transport node developments such as Britomart Stations design methods, which can be adopted to re-activate public spaces within the Auckland city. Transport orientated development theories have been researched, to identify methodologies such as pedestrian walkability within the development.

The project results in designing a transport hub which is to be a series of buildings that contain housing, commercial, public spaces and mixed-use buildings, that can be expected to fit into the existing fabric of the town centre. One significant contribution lies in identifying methods and designs that may be adopted into other Auckland transport centres to encourage higher density and mixed-use private typologies. The ultimate goal of the project is to improve the liveability, travel connections for commuters, enhance the quality of public space whilst retaining the existing character of the Balmoral precinct.