A new public space for the people of Tāmaki Makaurau.
Over the next ten to fifteen years the northern end of Wynyard Quarter will be transformed into one of the most beautiful waterfront destinations in Tāmaki Makaurau as part of Te Ara Tukutuku Plan.
Share your thoughts on the vision here.
Te Ara Tukutuku
Te Ara Tukutuku will enable a shift away from a regular space as we know it. In opening up to the public, the space will become a thriving foreshore - to reconnect people with Te Waitematā.
This will be a space for everyone.
Te Ara Tukutuku project area is part of the Auckland Waterfront. You may currently know this area as Wynyard Point, or the northern end of Wynyard Quarter. While the space forms part of a wider environmental ecosystem, the project area is illustrated below.
Since August 2022, Eke Panuku has been co-designing with Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau and design collective Toi Waihanga including technical specialists - mātauranga (traditional Māori knowledge and practice) and western - to develop the vision for this area.
The vision is now publicly available for everyone to share their thoughts – the first stage of public engagement on this project - to help inform concept design. Key programme milestones can be viewed here.
The name
Te Ara Tukutuku is the project name gifted by Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau.
It is the Māori name used for waka (canoe) ramps to reflect how Māori used the original shoreline of Te Waitematā. It is also a metaphor for the binding of the land and the sea - reflecting our vision for this space.
It is the connection to Te Moana-nui-a-kiwa (Pacific Ocean) through traditional navigation and to karanga, ‘a place to call back to the ancient homeland, Hawaikii’.
Waka were dragged in and out of the water after fishing at Mangōnui, Te Ōnewa and Mahurangi. Awa (streams) such as Tunamau acted as corridors and canoe ramps to Tangaroa and, as such, become an extension of the name, Te Ara Tukutuku.
Within the realm of Tangaroa
The project area is within the realm of Tangaroa (god of the sea). Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau acknowledges Te Waitematā as a taonga (treasures) with mana Atua (sacred spiritual power from God), which is fundamentally important for its life-giving essence and spiritual values.
From its once abundant natural ecosystems to human made industrial activities, the area will change again - rebinding the relationship between Tangaroa and Papatūānuku (mother earth), and towards a return to a state of mauri ora (life essence). This begins with lifting, restoring, and enhancing the mauri of the moana (harbour) and the whenua (land).
The project approach is about healing and restoring first, before bringing he tāngata (the people) back to the area.
Te Ara Tukutuku Plan
The journey to design and open up the space began in 2020 with Te Ara Tukutuku Plan – the guiding document for the next phase of design and delivery in Wynyard Quarter.
Published in 2021, Te Ara Tukutuku Plan was created in partnership with Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau and through close consultation with key stakeholders, including the Waitematā Local Board and Auckland Council whānau. The plan draws from the City Centre Masterplan 2020 and sits alongside the Waterfront Plan in setting the scene for area over the coming years.
A space for everyone
Previously not accessible by the public, Te Ara Tukutuku will introduce a new way of seeing the space and embed a continuation of Te Hā Noa - to freely experience one’s surroundings, to breathe the essence of life itself, to acknowledge the sights and sounds whilst journeying.
It will be a welcoming space to pause and take a breath. A space for everyone.
Kaupapa
The space will emerge over time through the interweaving of Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau-led initiatives that weave mātauranga, environmental restoration, infrastructure, design, and perspectives that will help us create an space for everyone to enjoy.
The key kaupapa (principles) guiding the transformation are:
- Te Wakatupu i ō Tātou Hapori - Growing Our Communities
- Ā Tātou Whakarite mō ngā Wāhi Tū Wātea - Enhancing Our Public Open Space Journey
- Te Wheako I Te Taha Moana - Celebrating A Waterfront Experience
- Te Manaakitanga - Building On Our Hosting Legacy.
Te Ara Tukutuku vision
We’re excited to share the Te Ara Tukutuku vision and invite you on the design journey - starting with your feedback on how you would like to experience the space.
Click here to see the Te Ara Tukutuku Vision Document. This vision is the next step in the journey for this space, to create a truly unique environment.
In opening up to the public, the vision is to create a thriving foreshore for the land to reconnect to the sea, bringing Tangaroa (Atua of the sea) and Papatūānuku (earth mother) together again, connecting people back to the water.
The long-term vision is for the area to hold an intergenerational lens over an enduring timeframe. Tamariki (youth) are our rangitira mo apōpō (future leaders) and will play an important role in shaping this space.
Use the image slider below to see how different areas of the space might evolve.
The vision has been co-designed by Eke Panuku, Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau and design collective Toi Waihanga. We’re grateful for the guidance and input so far from Waitematā Local Board, Auckland Council whānau, and key people with a special interest in the future of this space.
Regenerative design
To bring the vision to life, design collective Toi Waihanga has been appointed by Eke Panuku and Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau to design this public realm component of Te Ara Tukutuku. The regenerative design process is informed by radical listening, healing, and concept iteration through a culturally led, place-sourced and regenerative lens.
Tāmata te Mauri, Tārai, Pōhutukawa
The Te Ara Tukutuku vision includes lifting, restoring, and enhancing the mauri (life essence) of the moana (harbour), the whenua (land) and tangata (people). Before any development can take place, remediation needs to be completed. We are approaching this through a process of Tāmata te Mauri, Tārai, Pōhutukawa (Heal, Form and Cultivate).
Tāmata te Mauri (Heal)
Tāmata te Mauri - hei tiaki te taiao
We remember the original landscape that was a flooded valley and is now Te Waitematā, to acknowledge its origins and reinstate a living and interconnected system that brings health and wellbeing to Te Ara Tukutuku.
Forming the site will create a natural and resilient coastal edge that will create a diversity of open spaces and experiences.
Tārai (Form)
Tārai – to design, shape and carve hoe and waka. Tārai is used as a metaphor to describe how the spaces will be shaped and inform the identity of each place.
Pōhutukawa (Cultivate)
Cultivation will see the creation of experiences unique to Tāmaki Makaurau, inspiring a new waterfront destination and space for cultural, recreational, nature-based and urban experiences.
Have your say
We’re keen to hear your thoughts on the vision. How would you like to experience the space? How do you want to feel when you’re there? With this being a space to share knowledge, what would you like to learn while you’re there? How might you be able to help on this journey?
Click here to share your thoughts.
Your feedback will help inform the concept design phase starting early next year. The draft concept designs will be another opportunity to share your feedback and be part of this journey together.
The overarching vision includes a living green open space, re-connecting land and sea. This is an illustration of how the headland could look.
View of the headland, looking south-east towards the city centre.
Part of the vision is to bring people and ecology back to the space in a range of new water’s edge experiences.
View along Hamer Street at end of the headland, looking south-east.
The headland could enhance connections and views towards Te Waitematā, Upper Harbour, Waitākere Ranges, and the Hauraki Gulf.
View from the corner of Hamer Street and Brigham Street, looking east.
Co-design
Eke Panuku has been co-designing with Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau and design collective Toi Waihanga, as well as technical specialists (mātauranga and western) to address the site’s challenges and develop the vision and healing for the space.
Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau
Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau (Mana Whenua) partners with Eke Panuku who share aspirations for place-based, culture-led, and community-driven work delivered alongside Auckland Council whānau and their development partners.
Guided by Te Ara Tukutuku Plan, Mana Whenua (representatives of the 19 local iwi who have strong cultural ties to this space) and Eke Panuku are co-designing this space.
The goal is for Mana Whenua and Eke Panuku to partner in decision making about how this space is developed over the next twenty years, enabling Mana Whenua to see themselves and their values reflected in this space.
This work has enabled Mana Whenua to utilise their mātauranga (traditional knowledge) and share their multiple stories about Te Waitematā. This ensures Mana Whenua can continue to express tikanga, exercise their role as kaitiaki, and perform their ancient cultural practices.
Mana Whenua partnership facilitates co-design opportunities for cultural expression, taiao (environment) regeneration, tourism and business activities – which contribute to an authentic and vibrant waterfront.
We acknowledge the time, effort and goodwill that has been invested in this project, in particular by the Mana Whenua Project Working Group, which includes: Adrian Pettit – Te Ākitai Waiohua, Paora Puru – Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua, Geoff Cook – Ngāti Maru, Paulette Reidy – Te Patukirikiri, Zaelene Maxwell-Butler – Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Martin Te Moni – Ngaati Whanaunga, Mervyn Kerehoma – Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Eddie Manukau – Ngāti Tamaterā.
The Mana Whenua Project Working Group is open to all members of the Eke Panuku Mana Whenua forum.
Toi Waihanga
Toi Waihanga comprises LandLAB, Warren and Mahoney, Mott MacDonald (supported by DONE), Stellar Projects, BECA, Fresh Concept, SCAPE Studio, Morphum Environmental, Tātaki Ltd (Marine Science) and URU Whakaaro.
"Ehara tāku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini."
- My strength is not as an individual, but as a collective.
Mahi underway
There is a lot of work already underway, particularly around the remediation of site contamination, as well as site testing and monitoring.
Contamination & remediation
Te Ao Māori (Māori world view) recognises the intrinsic relationship between people and the environment. “If the land is unwell, so are it’s people” - so the degradation of the mauri of the natural environment directly impacts the physical, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing of the people.
Remediation, alongside enduring nature-based solutions and tikanga (customary practice) / taiao (the environment) based approaches, will need to deal with the range of heavy contaminants present, connecting the ngahere (forests and lands) to the moana (the harbour).
The Te Ara Tukutuku vision includes lifting, restoring, and enhancing the mauri (life essence) of the moana (harbour) and the whenua (land).
Site testing & monitoring
Remediation of the site is the most important element of this project. It is about healing and restoring first, before bringing he tāngata (the people) back to the area.
The regenerative design approach involves early and detailed consideration of technical site challenges and remediation methodology. Site testing and monitoring is underway to inform the remediation process.
History
Since first settlement of Tāmaki Makaurau, a land desired by many, Te Waitematā was highly valued by the many iwi within the region.
Over the past 180 years, urbanisation and industrialisation of the inner-city waterfront area has degraded the mauri (life essence) of Te Waitematā and the surrounding landscape.
Original shoreline 1840's
Since first settlement of Tāmaki Makaurau, a land desired by many, Te Waitematā was highly valued by the many iwi within the region. The waterfront was traditionally a place where Māori lived during the summer months - fishing, gathering, and harvesting the abundant resources from Te Waitematā and hinterland. The body of Te Waitematā was once bountiful.
Over the past 180 years, the bays have been filled in and the land has been developed for human use. This has caused degradation of mauri (life essence) throughout Te Waitematā and the surrounding landscape.
Reclamation 1920's
From 1840, the modified shoreline steadily encroached upon the harbour with wharves progressively built and reclamation specifically for industrial, commercial, and marine activity. The site was reclaimed from the harbour through a process of forming a perimeter rock bund then infilling with a combination of dredged harbour sediment and landfill material.
Industry and marine 1930’s
Bulk petro-chemical storage began here in the 1930s.
Heavy contamination has resulted from these activities, degrading the mauri (life essence) of Te Waitematā and surrounding landscape.
Once in abundance, the area is developed into a formed landscape of reclamation and consumption.
Key milestones
Vision and Framework design
Spring 2023
Vision and Framework design released and shared with Tāmaki Makaurau for feedback
Other projects around Wynyard Quarter
- Wynyard Quarter
- Complete
Viaduct Bascule Bridge repairs
30/05/2023 - 30/09/2023
- Wynyard Quarter
- Undergoing Construction
Wynyard Point bioremediation works
01/02/2023 - 31/07/2023