The Nuffield Street Precinct is a vibrant boutique retail destination in the fashion retail centre of Newmarket. The precinct was created when the existing buildings were refurbished and the streetscape upgraded in a co-operative venture between Westfield Ltd and Auckland City Council.

We were engaged by Westfield to prepare a concept design and construction drawings for the streetscape redevelopment, within a very short design and construction time frame for a critical opening date.

The design process was collaborative, involving regular project team meetings with Westfield, along with their design consultants and Auckland City staff. A contextual and historical analysis helped define Nuffield Street’s existing and potential character and its place within the wider urban design context. Mature liquidambar trees lining both sides of the street provided a significant and distinguishing landscape feature.

The visually restrained design gives precedence to pedestrian movement and allows the character of the adjacent refurbished buildings to be fully appreciated. Strategically placed focal points and pedestrian amenity areas feature high-quality natural stone paving and discrete street furniture.

We worked collaboratively with the project’s civil, structural, lighting and traffic engineers during the design and construction phases.

Special features included:

• Street lighting fully integrated into the overall design to ensure the streetscape would be safe and attractive as a pedestrian-focused environment during both daytime and night-time;
• Street furniture including cast-iron manhole covers featuring poetic texts, designed by a local artist, to reinforce the precinct’s sense of place.

The redeveloped precinct was opened In August 2006.

Our role
Landscape design and technical observation of site works.

Project team
John Potter

Worked with

• Woodhams Meikle Zhan Architects Ltd
• Connell Wagner (civil and lighting engineers)
• Traffic Design Group (traffic planning)