Urban Design
Inner-city street
The Council funds improvement projects throughout Wellington to provide high-quality public spaces and to enhance the liveability of the central city and suburban environments.
Design Objectives
In accordance with the Council's Urban Design Strategy, Wellington urban design upgrades must address a number of key objectives, such as:
- Walkability - The Council works to make Wellington's streets and spaces as people friendly as possible. Well-designed streets are critical to creating attractive and lively public spaces.
- Sense of Place - The Council also works to identify and enhance the qualities and characteristics that make Wellington special, including conservation of the city's built heritage.
- Urban Design Strategy
- Wellington - Our Sense of Place (538Kb PDF)
Current Initiatives
Urban design initiatives in Wellington include developing more parks and open space, enhancing city streets, and requiring publicly accessible ground floors of buildings.
In the central city, urban design work is primarily focused around the central spine of the city - which is made up of Lambton Quay, Willis Street, Manners Street, Courtenay Place, and key connecting streets to the waterfront. The Council is developing a concept for Lambton Quay and some adjacent streets that will involve general improvements, and enhancement of connections to the waterfront.
The Council's streetscape plan aims to deliver consistency in the design and placement of elements within streets, including paving, kerbing, street furniture, seating, planting and lighting.
Other important central city projects include developing a concept for the Capital Precinct and revitalising Civic Square.
Parks
The Council is also developing three city parks in three years.
- 2005 - Glover Park received a $1.2 million upgrade to make it more attractive and more visible from Ghuznee and Garrett Streets.
- 2006/07 - The Council plans to create an urban plaza on the southwest corner of Taranaki Street and Courtenay Place, outside the Saatchi & Saatchi building.
- 2007 - The Council plans to create a small park on a site in lower Te Aro.
Suburban Centres
All suburban centres have been earmarked for urban design upgrades. A 10-year programme, which began in 2002, is underway.
Improvements to centres in Johnsonville, Rongotai, Owhiro Bay, Karori and Berhampore have been completed. Other projects being developed include Ngaio/Crofton Downs, Tawa, Seatoun and Riddiford Street.
Related Links
Department Details:
Urban Development & Transport
