Auckland’s Biggest ‘Roof Garden’ Takes Shape

Aotea Square is Auckland’s largest ‘open space’ area for events and functions in the CBD. Located in the arts and cultural quarter, and flanked by the Town Hall, Aotea Centre and Metro Centre (with the Civic Theatre close by), it sits on the roof of the Civic Car Park and has witnessed numerous gatherings of Aucklanders over the past 30 years. It is currently undergoing a major redevelopment that will revitalise the area.

In 2000, landscape architects Ted Smyth and Associates won a competition to redesign Aotea Square, but plans were put on hold when the city council identified structural damage to the car park roof in December 2004 and introduced load restrictions. In February 2008, faced with the need to make essential repairs to the car park’s roof, the council reassessed the Aotea Square
redevelopment plan.

With input from leading designers and engineering consultants from around New Zealand, a new plan was put in place that would accomplish several key objectives, including repairing and strengthening the Civic Car Park roof, upgrading Aotea Square, and altering the front of the Aotea Centre to incorporate a café/restaurant with a balcony and seating overlooking Aotea Square. With the main contractor on board, works began onsite in October 2008.

Below-ground innovations

On schedule to open 1 October this year, the renovations to Aotea Square will greatly enhance the area and make it a far more open area suitable for major events, music concerts and cultural festivals, whilst still providing an attractive setting for everyday activities such as family picnics, workers on their lunch break, and various forms of recreation. However, it is the below-ground work that is perhaps the greatest achievement.

“Closing the car park was out of the question,” explains Deb Godinet, group manager, CBD Projects, Auckland City Council. “It would have severely affected those working in the area and the entertainment stakeholders.”

The new plans incorporated a number of construction innovations, some of which had never been used in New Zealand before. The old roof was raised, column by column, using pneumatic jacks, and the old bearings were replaced to strengthen the columns. Carbon fibre wrapping was used to reinforce the concrete beams with the greatest loads. A new roof was built over the existing one, incorporating a waterproofing membrane system with a memory material which can reform to its original size if stretched, reducing membrane tearing when movement occurs.

An electronic leakdetection system was installed that would detect any damage or leaks to the waterproofing membrane during construction, and this will remain in place after completion of the works. “This means we don’t have to carry out flood testing, which is costly and adds a significant delay to the construction timeline,” Deb explains. “The electronic system is non-destructive, and in the future will pinpoint where the membrane has been breached.”

The council managed to negotiate a process with the main contractor whereby 700-plus car parking spaces were kept operational whilst construction was underway. This maintained a revenue stream throughout the project, contributing to the overall cost savings.

Plans for the future

Aotea Square is part of the larger Aotea Quarter that incorporates the Auckland Art Gallery, the Central City Library, the Town Hall, Aotea Centre and Civic Theatre. This cluster of cultural facilities, combined with its civic function as the centre of local government, makes the quarter an important area to develop and revitalise – something the 10-year Aotea Quarter action plan is making happen.

Implemented in 2005, numerous initiatives have already been realised, including the completion of the Central Library café and the first-stage upgrades of both Khartoum Place and Lorne Street.

With Aotea Square’s makeover due to be completed this year, Q Theatre in development, and further upgrades and initiatives imminent, the city’s civic core and cultural heart will not only be ready for Rugby World Cup 2011, but will provide a legacy for Aucklanders to enjoy long into the future.