Wellington Waterfront

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In 1997 Athfield Architects was involved along with others (including Graeme McIndoe and Megan Wraight) in establishing the Lambton Harbour master plan, from which the Waterfront Framework was developed. Since then, beginning with the first open space projects focused on Wellington Waterfront’s Taranaki Wharf precinct redevelopment in 2000, Athfield Architects has led various teams through an almost continuous series of projects integrating landscape, urban place and historic waterfront building refurbishment, adaptation and redevelopment projects across the WellingtonWaterfront.

Although a string of separately won commissions for varying client partnerships, this body of work is interrelated, and consistent in its approach to carefully integrate open space with buildings, new fabric and use with historical. Each have contributed to the waterfront’s growing vibrancy and public accessibility, and all have incorporated a balance of refurbished and preserved waterfront built fabric, extending local historical narratives, and reinvigorating and activating neglected and under-utilisted waterfront buildings andspaces.

All involved collaboration and coordination with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT) to varying levels, and all involved working closely with the waterfront Technical Advisory Group and developing design/ consenting with reference to the objectives of the Waterfront Framework plan. The most recently completed of these projects is the Taranaki Lagoon/ Whare waka landscape (in association with Wraight and Associates) completed early 2011 along with the Wharewaka building (designed by Architecture +).

Successful heritage refurbishment and adaption projects within this precinct include the redevelopment of the Lambton Harbour Bond Store into the Museum of City and Sea, Shed 21 and the Odlins Buildings to wharfside apartments with Ground Floor hospitality, Shed 22 and the Free Ambulance Building to mixed use office/ brewery/ hospitality on lower levels. These projects were led by various public and private partnership agencies with WellingtonWaterfront.

Wellington Waterfront

Awards

Key contacts

Jeremy Perrott

John Hardwick-Smith