The redevelopment of Wellington’s waterfront was driven by a desire to improve one of the city’s best used community places – a space open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
A key part of the Wellington experience it is a focal point for community activities and events, hosting beach volleyball tournaments and concerts, dragon boating, and firework displays. It is a place where families picnic and there is a recreational activity for all with adults enjoying a game of petanque, teenagers at the skate park, and younger children in the play garden.
The beach, boardwalk, promontory, kiosk and change rooms were carefully and quietly added, while poor water quality, urban clutter and intrusive structures were removed. The enhanced beach integrates the new amenity buildings with the landscape elements, seamlessly incorporating the beach control points and storm water infrastructure and at the same time creating a pier to take the viewer out into the amphitheatre of Wellington Harbour.
The waterfront is now an integral piece of Wellington’s landscape that has been embraced by the whole city.