It is rare to find prime land right in the heart of the city that is underutilised, and rarer still, to find such a site bordered by heritage buildings.
It was the unexplored potential of the Britomart precinct in Auckland that first attracted Auckland-based developer Cooper and Company, and subsequently architect Richard Johnson of Johnson Pilton Walker in Sydney.
"When I was approached by the developer to consider working on the project I was initially sceptical," says Johnson. "Although I have a passionate interest in the way good architecture can activate urban spaces I didn't particularly need a project in Auckland. But I came over for a visit, saw the immediate potential and within a very short time period the project became irresistible."
The Bluewater Consortium, led by Cooper and Company, won the Auckland City Council tender to redevelop the precinct in 2004. Cooper and Company bought out its partners in the consortium in 2006 and has since worked with the council in a private-public collaboration. CEO Matthew Cockram says that right from the outset, the company had a clear vision.
"As well as having a prime waterfront location and a transport hub on the doorstep, the Britomart precinct has a unique scale and a rare concentration of heritage buildings that made this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he says. "Redeveloping the area with carefully planned, mixed-use buildings was a way to strengthen the CBD's appeal as a retail destination. The narrow lanes and the juxtaposition of new and old buildings give the precinct a street-based character and allow an edginess and a cool factor not usually seen in other developments."
The heritage value of the site was also a key motivation for Johnson and his team.
"In terms of its dimensions, Takutai Square towards the east end of the precinct is a classic example of the ideal civic space," Johnson says. "The buildings surrounding it are almost perfectly aligned with the views to the harbour. The bones for this to become a truly great square were already there. But the real beauty of this civic space lies in the heritage buildings. They give the place a grain a sense of memory and texture into which we could insert new layers that would reinforce the heritage elements and activate the entire precinct."
In addition to the extensive renovations of the older buildings, and the introduction of bars, cafes and retail spaces, the masterplan provides for a number of mixed-use developments. The first of these, informally known as the East Complex, is made up of two buildings the Ernst & Young building and the second element of the head-office complex, Westpac on Takutai Square. The upper levels are occupied by Ernst & Young, Westpac, and the third anchor tenant, Southern Cross Health Society. The retail outlets are at street level.