Auckland hosts roughly a third of New Zealand’s population and has sprawled to an extent that surpasses a 5 mile radius. Although Auckland has made efforts to update zoning to densify neighborhoods, the current construction workforce continues to shrink. Surrounded by water, the city also faces threats from rising sea levels. The ambition for the studio was to redesign the Devonport ferry terminal to include housing through the lens of resiliency.
After discovering a pinch point off Lake Road, Devonport’s main transportation artery for commuters traveling from Takapuna to downtown Devonport and Auckland, there was an interest in developing the mangrove inlet. With the 1 meter sea level rise and 100 year storm surge, water will enter through the site and cut off not only Lake Road but also the entire Waitemata Golf Course, transforming Devonport into an island.
To save Lake Road, the edge is developed as an industrial construction training site, which doubles as a berm and receives the prefabricated materials traveling by barge. Given that Auckland needs to accommodate for a quickly rising population with the huge influx of immigrants, the salvaged golf course is converted into land for housing. A series of zones offset from the main road alternate between sheltered and open spaces to house supporting programs for the community and create spaces for spectacle and recreation. Conceived of as a project occurring in phases over the span of decades, as the construction period eventually comes to an end, the pier, scaffolded training site, and distribution lane will be converted into a new ferry stop and series of connected public spaces.