More details were released yesterday surrounding a new luxury hotel – to be known as Park Hyatt Auckland – that is going to be built on the waterfront, on the site that currently houses the Team New Zealand headquarters.
The design of the new $200 million Auckland waterfront hotel and the announcement of the luxury Park Hyatt brand as its manager were unveiled today at the state luncheon for the visiting Chinese President.
The hotel is being built by the Beijing-based Fu Wah International Group, in partnership with Waterfront Auckland. The Hyatt Group will manage the hotel under its luxury Park Hyatt brand, adding to that brand’s network of hotels in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, and throughout Asia, Europe, the United States, and Africa.
The hotel, to be known as the Park Hyatt Auckland, will be located on the current Team New Zealand site on Halsey St, looking out on the Viaduct Harbour and Te Wero Bridge. The six storey hotel will have a total floor area of 25,000 square metres with 190 rooms, a ball room, multifunction room and business centres, entertainment facilities including a rooftop restaurant, and a gym/health centre and day spa.
…
Mr Chiu Yung, President for Fu Wah International Group, said the new hotel will be a landmark property on the waterfront, and is being built to very high environmental standards. The Group will invest around $200million in the project, with $2.5 million committed to the development of a public space and art display in the area around the hotel in Wynyard Quarter, to give people access to the marina and water.
“The site of the hotel is special – right on the water of one of the world’s finest harbour settings – so we feel a responsibility to build a landmark hotel. The design is one which meets high environmental standards with an emphasis on unique New Zealand features developed in collaboration with the one of New Zealand’s most highly regarded architects. We are thrilled to be involved in a building and hotel of this scale and quality.
…
Waterfront Auckland CEO, John Dalzell says the five star international quality hotel is an exemplar project of what the Wynyard Quarter revitalisation is all about.
“The bar was set high with this project: an exceptional design to complement the award winning designs of other buildings and public spaces delivered to date; an investor that was willing to look long term; and an appreciation of the importance of building sustainably.
“Fu Wah has stepped up on all accounts and the result will be a true international standard hotel that, over time, will become a key catalyst for economic activity on the waterfront and the Auckland region as a whole.”
It is expected to open in 2017 and on the design Waterfront Auckland also say
The design team for the project consists of collaboration of local architectural firm, Bossley Architects, Singapore based AR+D, and interior design by world renowned Conran + Partners.
The design will meet Waterfront Auckland’s own high environmental standards with an emphasis on unique New Zealand and Maori architectural features.
Those environmental standards the developer and operator will be required to:
- Be energy and water efficient
- Promote sustainable transport
- Minimise waste to landfill
- Maximise solar access, natural ventilation and natural light
- Minimise need for heating, cooling and artificial lighting
- Optimise the amount of roof space available for solar panels and make it available for installation of solar panels
All that sounds fantastic however the images released so far leave me feeling extremely under-whelmed. They seem far from the idea of a landmark with exceptional design – unless exceptional design means a bland and boring box.
Is this the best we can do for our Waterfront?
Update: this is the design that won a competition for the project in 2011
Processing...
I’m not going to opine about the architectural merits of this building – it would only reveal my own ignorance. But I have to say that the overall urban environment that’s emerging in Wynyard / Viaduct is pretty good. Lots of 5-7 storey buildings constructed relatively close together, and a mix of uses and public spaces.
There are some obvious problems with severance from the rest of the city centre, but those are fixable. I reckon the waterfront is going to be a great model for town centre redevelopment.
The Wynyard Quarter is why there is no town centre development. Development has been pulled further and further from the Britomart transport hub to an area with little public transport and almost no parking.
Looks really ugly. Fail.
Not as ugly as the design competition winner!
“with an emphasis on unique New Zealand and Maori architectural features.” Looking at the design I think they just burned NZ pretty hard.
*** This comment has been removed for violating user guidelines, specifically rules 1 and 3 ***
Sir,
Your comment was deleted for being 1) off-topic and 2) making overt political statements for no reason. Please mind your manners.
With warm fuzzy regards,
Masters of the Blog
Architects are Bossley, which presumably means Pete Bossley? Conrad design certainly know how to do a good hotel, although I don’t know if Bossley or AR+D have much experience in that area. The renders certainly look a little unexciting, and it’s hard to tell if the facade is composed of wooden shutters, or just grey-brown curtains. Fairly standard mid-high accommodation block from what we are seeing here. But there certainly doesn’t seem to be much in the way of architectural zing, from the very little we have seen so far.
However, the fact that it has got this far, means that it has already jumped through many hoops – it must have been to Council, been through the Urban Design Review group already?
The bigger question for me is – is that really the best use of prime waterfront land? Bars downstairs will be well appreciated by Aucklanders as well as tourists, I’m sure. But I would have thought that Wynyard’s developers would be a little more keen on something a little more mixed-use, a little more funky.
*** This comment has been edited for violating user guidelines ***
It doesn’t look that flash. To me it looks like the revamped Housing Corp Star flats in Glen innes. What is the story with the land. Has it been sold or does council still own it.
“… is Brown getting his normal backhander”.
Why would anyone write such crap?
Mods, this needs to be removed and the commenter warned as to his/her future conduct. This is legally actionable.
Simple restrained reasonably well proportioned bit of contemporary design. I’m not sure we really want the waterfront full of competing ‘look at me explosion in a bling factory’ buildings all clamoring for attention. Some quiet human scaled buildings that form a tranquil backdrop to human activity seems reasonable.
Yes! Rather than the continual ego driven rubbish that passes for architecture in Auckland.
The exterior is reminiscent of the Bledisloe Building in Wellesey St when it was first built just after WW2. Fortunately that building has had a major face lift in recent times. The new design wouldn’t be out of place in Glen Innes but just maybe it will compliment it’s neighbour, the Birdshit Building.
While I dont particularly like the design myself, I actually think it will add a point of difference from the glass of the Viaduct buildings with the bling (relatively speaking) of ASB and the events center. All comparative scale wise but all with enough subtle architectural differences to make it interesting.
A couple of responses to comments above;
Mixed use? Its not turning out too bad. While you would think there is a glut of bars and restaurants, they will be complimented by the residents, commercial activity of ASB, events at the events center, a waterfront theatre and now a hotel. Retail probably the missing piece.
Overall urban environment? Badly needs greenery and this side will be helped by the Halsey St upgrade. More trees and the car park on te wero, and the informal one out back of the events center, to be turned into grass, seating and trees.
http://www.arplusd.net/project.php?cat=hospitality&catindex=1
Not much to inspire.
http://www.bossleyarchitects.co.nz/commercialGalleries.aspx?id=27
Talking of boxes
Some of the architecture here certainly looks more interesting
http://www.waterfrontauckland.co.nz/livinginwynyardquarter/
The hotel will certainly add to traffic and increase population in the area. How much development is needed before Wynard rail Station is developed? It’d make the tram more useful if you could connect to an airport train.
Lessee’s must be expecting something for signing up to their 125 year leases.
I thought the idea of extending the tram to St Heliers was dropped?
http://www.waterfrontauckland.co.nz/waterfront-auckland/pages/projectupdatesinside/?ID=10&redirect=1
Outside of a tram stop, a Wynyard rail stop will only happen once you get rail over the Harbour.
2030? If ever if NZTA only “future proof” for rail over a second harbour crossing?
Boxes on boxes. Again.
(slow clap)
I’m more concerned with the ground level interface actually. Firstly on the waterfront side we really don’t want a repeat of further up viaduct basim where people really aren’t welcome. Secondly the same where it fronts the existing little square. Really hope ground floor is activated and we don’t get a bunch of blank walls.
And thirdly the Halsey St interface. All expensive hotels seem to have large drive in areas, places for buses, coaches and where taxis swarm. The design of this is key to ensure Halsey is not overwhelmed by this activity and this does not wreck the pedestrian realm.
Under whelmed with the design and feel of this project. Bossley is capable of much better.Maybe he has been reined in by the clients. What gets me is that they believe their own hype about how impressive the building is. Pure oversell because they know it is a flop.
Looks similar to the proposed Hilton Hotel + conference centre that Wellington is about to be burdened with. Looks more like a 1970’s factory complex.
Hilton and convention centre are an improvement on the existing use of that space (fencing and surface parking) but agree the aesthetics are underwhelming.
The architect looks like his only interest is to maximize floor area with the height restriction.
You’d think so wouldn’t you Kelvin, and that was my first impression, until you realise it’s probably over the height limit of 18.5m and appears well over the maximum permitted floor area of ~15000m2 (the site appears to be 5598m2 with a max FAR of 2.7:1).
Indeed, see environmental requirements : “optimise amount of roof space available for solar panels”. A box will do that.
I’m also not sure it’s the role of a hotel to promote sustainable transport ( whatever that is). Perhaps people should roll up by pedal boat, but given the average tourist will fly here it seems a bit redundant….
A hotel should be exactly the place to optimise sustainable transport (walking, cycling, PT). You aren’t going to have your car with you, so why design a building as if you do?
Admittedly most (but not all) of the promoting sustainable transport in this case will need to be done by others – but that doesn’t mean the hotel chain can’t lobby for better bus & tram links, provide secure cycle parking for their staff, provide rental bikes to customers etc…
I’d argue what we build is driven by the transport networks provided and that it’s no more the role of a hotel to promote efficient transit than it is a dairy or a coffee shop.
You do not get rid of the need to park cars by failing to provide parking, you do it by making cars unneccessary. Some buildings attract a certain kind of vehicle ( see airports and planes or luxury hotels and taxis/ super yatchs).
If the city actually wants people to cycle into the Wynard Quarter, why doesn’t it build a public bike park with showering facilities and charge for the privilege or require buildings of a certain size to provide them. A decent employer would provide them anyway, given sufficient demand.
.
That carpark building near the New Lynn train station is looking quite impressive now, isn’t it?
Box doesn’t need to mean boring.
Are you kidding me. That rusty carpark is the biggest eyesore in New Lynn! And I particularly appreciate this shitty rusty building dripping rust stains all over the footpath below. Architect obviously didnt think about those practicalities!
This surely should have a rooftop bar. The views day and night would be spectacular.
rooftop bars like they have in Porto? Yes please!
And with glasses of rose port for EUR 1.50 … nom nom nom!
What? This is Auckland. Prime views and space like that must be used for parked cars.
You don’t want it clogged up with pesky people spending money.
Nothing wrong with the design of this building
I can only assume it was a slow day for transport news
Slow day for you too I guess since you felt it necessary to share that pointless assumption…
Everything he writes is pointless; just have a laugh at his witterings and move on.
Looks fine to me. If I’m going to a hotel, I only care what the inside is like and what the view of the outside is from inside. I don’t care much what it looks like from the outside as I’m only going to be there a few days. If I were living long-term in the building however….
The point is that the rest of us have to live with it. As you say, transient people such as you, don’t care.
Wait 50 years and some twit will want to give it category 2 listing. I mean look at 1 Greys Ave!
Gone are the days when they knew how to build really great hotels.
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/8/24/1345824608108/St-Pancras-Renaissance-ho-008.jpg
+1
x1000
People travel to see buildings like that.
Not so much for the “boxes on boxes” stuff.
St Pancras Hotel is of course very amazing, with one of the worlds best gothic skylines : Gilbert Scott’s finest work. But don’t forget that it sat empty and unloved, blackened with soot and home to only pigeons for the best part of half a century, and has only really recently reentered the game as a quality hotel destination. While we are never going to have a true gothic hotel, we could still hold out for good modern design – but needs a more enlightened client than Fu Wah and Hyatt. Think of the Paramount Hotel in New York. Yumm…
But this is world class Maximus, and a great bonus to a world class city, it must be the mayor said so… “a stunning addition to our waterfront” as he said. ……..
Looks like something from the old Eastern Block days…..sad very sad