Cultural heritage and engagement drives the upgrade of an urban public centre.

Mount Roskill Village – a small retail strip – is on the city side of Mt Albert Rd, which cuts across from Pt Chevalier to Royal Oak. Revitalising the heart of the village through a public-space upgrade that showcases its natural and cultural history has been in the works for several years.

Beginning in 2013, Boffa Miskell worked closely with Iwi to understand the stories of the landscape, flora and fauna of the area; and that resulted in the Dominion Road Cultural Landscape Plan, which identified a set of Māori values that could be integrated within the streetscape. In 2018, Boffa Miskell begun work on the concept and subsequent detailed design of the Mount Roskill village upgrade which looked to incorporate these Māori values.

Client

Auckland Council - Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa local board

Location

Auckland

Project team

John Potter
Rory Gray
Jason Mazey

Worked with

Cathy Challinor
Envivo
GHD
Cuesko
Auckland Transport

Project date

2018 - 2020

The design references the pre-settlement landscape character and the cultural history of Mount Roskill whilst slowing speeds and creating a central heart for the town centre.

The cultural values previously identified are incorporated in the design, most notably in patterns derived from whāriki (woven mats) that extend across Dominion Road to link the village space. The Rauputiputi weave design used in the footpaths and carriageway treatments represents flowering, blossoming, and growth.

Pīwakawaka, tūī and kererū — all native bird species important to the area — are represented along the southern wall of the laneway. Handcrafted kōhatu seats were made from locally sourced stone, from Te Tātua o Riu-ki-uta (Three Kings) and feature carving designs from local Iwi artists.

PREVIOUS

Carina Creek, Whitianga
Next

Wairakei Reserve - Te Ara o Wairakei