[SH20] MOTORWAY EXTENSION

[EYE] ON AUCKLAND provided us with an introduction to this project, another motorway, another excuse to hop into your metallic cocoon, another reason to pollute our environment. What can we do ? it is the way of the World.One thing that we can do is deliver quality projects. If we must build motorways let's build decent and interesting motorways - let's do it with passion and in good taste. As mentioned earlier, the pedestrian | cycle bridge is rather dull - it is just a structure. What we got is this >

By painting the main structure red (which compliments the green of Mt Roskill in the background), the bridge comes alive. Red symbolises vitality and caution. [EYE] ON AUCKLAND proposes this >
It is too late now but I find these Santiago Calatrava bridge designs very inspiring >

[QUEENS WHARF] PROPOSAL

As stated at [EYE] ON AUCKLAND, the city wants to break down the barrier between Quay Street and the water so that we , the public, may have access to the water's edge. Most importantly they would like to build a new cruise ship terminal on [QUEEN'S WHARF] so that our International visitors arrive in style. I cannot agree more, the sheds that currently sit on [QUEEN'S WHARF] are outdated, unsightly and unwarranted.

I am fully aware that there are people who live in downtown Auckland who are blissfully ignorant and believe that their views are protected - after all, the city centre is one big lifestyle block which will remain unchanged for an eternity - yeah right ! and I am also aware that 800 plus parks is still not enough for greedy and ungrateful Aucklanders.

Bearing this in mind I have thought about possible solutions for the [QUEEN'S WHARF] site - the following proposals all have rooftop parks, public access with activated edges (shops and restaurants) and beautiful architecture that is befitting of a city such as Auckland:

* Transbay's San Francisco Terminal:
* Zaha Hadid could be invited to create something spectacular

* What it could look like next to the Auckland skyline:

SIDE NOTE:
Please, please do NOT look at Vancouver's terminal for inspiration - it is so last Century and very outdated.

MARINE [EVENTS] CENTRE

As previously stated at [EYE] ON AUCKLAND, the concept and the renders for the [MARINE EVENTS CENTRE] hardly excite me and quite honestly I am not surprised. I have learned one thing in Auckland and that is to not expect too much in terms of design and architecture, expect the worst and you will not be disappointed. It is just as lackluster as everything else that this city council tries to sell as "iconic". I feel that the onus is on me to remind our grey and repressed council members as to the meaning of the term "iconic architecture":

"A building or structure that is designed by a signature architect and in doing so successfully brands a city and places that city firmly on the global stage. This iconic building is a major tourist attraction and thus creates extra income in the form of tourism. Citizens of the city concerned are left with a feeling of pride, joy and hope for the future of their city."

Auckland is a square city - a square within a square within a square - The [AOTEA SQUARE] upgrade is a perfect example i.e. no organic rhythm, no hexagons and no circles - just squares within squares. Another good example is the [QUEEN STREET] upgrade - street furniture arranged in straight lines that form squares on square footpaths. It is almost as if some higher power told our city fathers (grandfathers in this case) that they shall not deviate from within the square or else they will be struck down by the wrath of the gods !

The [MARINE EVENTS CENTRE] is yet another elongated square, a four-sided polygon. As if that isn't boring enough there is an endless repetition of columns and a barrel vaulted roof which ingeniously reflects the patterns that you would expect to find on the ocean, that's right - waves. How literal and how mind-numbingly boring. Can Auckland's gifted not think out-side of the box ? It is a warehouse - there is no two ways about it. I shudder to think what the fashionable will think of our glamorous events centre when they travel half-way around the World for NZ Fashion Week. We have this .....

When we could have THIS .....

Not all is lost though, when I looked at the landscaping plans I nearly lost my cool. All I could see was street furniture arranged in neat, straight lines - that was until I read that the benches can swivel and be arranged in alternative patterns. As for the rest .... give me pins so that I may stick them in my eyes ! The only hint of colour is a few flag poles (truly "original") and well, that is that ! The proposed cafe is supposed to get us all excited but once again we are cut off from the water .... why not take some inspiration from a city that knows how to deliver sophistication, cutting edge design and knows the meaning of "thinking outside of the square" ... MELBOURNE ! We demand a cafe that will hover over the ocean, at the same time, why not throw in some street art which will cure us from the excruciating boredom that we will have to endure at the MEC.

Please feel free to add any ideas that you may have, if you need help with photographs etc. please let me know. It is OUR city and we want to claim it back so that it can be better - so much BETTER ! .... NO MORE mediocrity !!