Te Wananga (the new downtown public space) Te Wananga (the new downtown public space)
Auckland Transport (AT) and Auckland Council will be creating an exciting waterfront public space in the ferry basin between Princes Wharf and Queens Wharf.
Project status: Complete
Project zone: Central
Project overview
Wahapū – Harbour
Aucklanders tell us they want to feel better connected to the harbour, and growing numbers of people in the city centre need more space to move, rest and play.
Caption: Artists impression of Te Wānanga when completed.
Creating an accessible and vibrant waterfront
An exciting waterfront public space will be created in the ferry basin between Princes Wharf and Queens Wharf. This space will provide a focus and connection for downtown businesses, residents, visitors and locals.
Caption: Artist’s impression of people enjoying Te Wānanga when completed.
Te Wānanga
AT is committed to making Te Aranga Māori Design Principles (Mana Tohu Ahi Ka Mauri) a core part of the Downtown programme. For this reason, we have named the new waterfront public space Te Wānanga.
Te Wānanga is a space where people can meet, discuss, deliberate and consider. It is a learning space that focuses on events and hui, including Para Kore, raranga and whakairo. It will be a place where people can learn about sea ecology, such as mussel ropes and icthyology.
Te Wānanga blends the boundary between the city and the harbour, stitching together elements of land and sea. It will be a place for people to rest and relax, an oasis inspired by our coastal and cultural environment.
Caption: Artists impression of Te Wānanga when completed.
Advocacy and Environment
Te Wānanga will enhance our waterfront environment by helping coastal and marine habitats flourish. It is a space that connects people with the city and the harbour.
Textured surfaces encourage seaweeds, barnacles, and periwinkles to attach to them.
Ropes of mussels and kelp gardens help create an environment where water quality could be improved and monitored.
- A single mussel can filter up to 350 litres of water a day.
- Wharf piles could form seabird roosts, attracting black-backed and red-billed gulls and shags.
Caption: Artists impression of a cross section of the downtown public space both above and below the tidal line.