Abstract:
The year 2019 saw yet another formerly vibrant Auckland retail town centre vacated in favour of constructing a single supermarket... Methods of retail have undoubtedly changed from previous forms of shopping at individualised specialty stores scattered around town centres, to the modern convenience of malls, supermarkets and the online shopping world. As a result, an increasing number of obsolete or unoccupied buildings and acres of underutilised parking lots are appearing throughout suburbia. With rising land values and steady population growth, it is important to constantly evaluate how to optimise the function of our town centre spaces for the benefit of the wider community.
‘The suburban landscape is the new architectural frontier.’
This thesis intended to explore how a radical agricultural and pedestrianised approach could form the basis for the successful renewal of Highland Park town centre. To begin the thesis, four different sites across East Auckland were briefly analysed, each with a unique built form and character. From these case studies, Highland Park Shopping Centre was selected as the site to base this study. Rich in character and heritage value, the site initially opened as a retail centre in 1977, featuring a Scottish fort clock tower as a landmark and remained largely unchanged since. As part of the area’s former wheat fields, the six acre boundary offered an abundance of spatial and development opportunities. This, in combination with its proximity to main roads and previous status as the centre of Highland Park presented a strong case for suburban renewal of the site.
Following an in-depth historical and contextual analysis, four main components were suggested for the site. These included the addition of: an organically formed green belt, public open space, a produce market (in combination with underground parking and an undulating green roof) and renewal of the existing retail area. This new agricultural approach resulted in the restoration of Highland Park as a vibrant town centre and educational destination for local communities. The town’s sense of identity was renewed and character enhanced through the addition of new built form, to complement the existing. Despite the opportunity to produce a dense built scheme, the argument for a unique and organic approach to the site, with respect to the landscape, was the pursued revitalisation strategy, intended to create a strong precedent for future schemes of a similar suburban nature.