(Re)-Covering the Industrial Fringe Wellington's City Gateway - Stuart Houghton (REF: 04AS01)

NZILA AWARD CITATION: Stuart Houghton’s project successfully illustrates how a derelict area of the waterfront land might evolve into a new city precinct over time. Houghton has identified a large area of land which lies to the north of Wellington’s Taranaki Wharf as being idle and this project is designed to illustrate how such land might be integrated into the urban fabric. The design continues the fragmented grids, which create the eclectic spatial character of Wellington out onto a large reclaimed area, and connects them with the highly successful promenade theme begun in Oriental Bay and continued through Taranaki Wharf. Houghton has used strong lines around the periphery of the site to define it and these are extended beyond the site in places to make dramatic visual statements. The residential space itself is elegantly resolved with internal squares and a highly pedestrianised focus. The new design is carefully and elegantly ‘grafted’ or ‘woven’ back into the urban fabric with clear, legible and coherent connections. Details are also carefully considered and storm water treatment and planting appear to be appropriate to the site and the conditions. This is a very successful project, which cleverly extends and builds upon the landscape tradition being developed around the Wellington waterfront.