Abstract:
Auckland is an archetypal example of urban sprawl, with low density living spread over a large geographical area. To accommodate the expected increase in population over the next three decades, the urban growth strategy set out in the new Auckland Plan, emphasises the need to make Auckland a quality compact city and the world’s most ‘liveable’ city. A more compact urban form will be partly achieved through intensification, with higher density communities in mixed-use, multi-level living settings based around town centres and major public transport routes. Town centres will require high amenity within their natural and built environment to attract people to them to shop, work and live. These centres need a mix of features and facilities that people value and places that people can connect with. The purpose of the research is to produce a framework that identifies the key characteristics of a high quality public realm. The multiple case study examines six town centres across Auckland. The centres are grouped and compared according to age: traditional, modern and newer modern town centres. Comparisons are made according to key concepts relating to the nature of the urban form: connectivity, accessibility, street network, frontage activity and invaded space. Expressed as hypotheses, they are tested using quantitative research methods. The findings indicate that as town centre design has developed, the centres have become more disconnected, isolated, inverted and de-contextualised from the urban fabric and from the community. Reasons for this include the increasing size of the plots, the central positioning of the buildings on the plots, the enclosed nature of the shopping centre itself and the amount of space dedicated to open-air car parking. There is little relationship between the buildings, the streets and the surrounding neighbourhoods. In comparison, traditional town centres have greater connectivity and accessibility to amenities, and hence greater permeability. Regular small blocks have finer urban grain, providing more choice in routes and are more pedestrian friendly. Buildings are adjacent to the street forming continuous frontages, defining the shape of public space and providing opportunity for engagement with passers-by. These findings have implications for future town centre developments and redevelopments. The framework is applied to the redesign of Albany Town Centre, a ‘greenfield’ development on Auckland’s North Shore. The heart of the town centre is Westfield Albany, New Zealand’s second largest shopping mall.