Rising to Brent Toderian’s Challenge

One the 28th of March I saw this Tweet and subsequent challenge from Brent Toderian who is currently in New Zealand:

I replied straight back my answer to the challenge

That got a Favourite from Toderian who recognised the challenge I laid down for myself. So this morning I opened up Sketch Up on my existing Manukau work and looked at how I could make this up and coming Super Metropolitan Centre “Green” and ‘Walkable.”

For the most part the foundation is already laid with:

• a grid like street pattern
• main arterials AROUND the Manukau City Centre rather than through the middle of it (apart from Manukau Station Road on the southern flank)
• good road, bus, and a reasonable rail connection(s) to the rest of Auckland
• large surface parking lots (taking upwards of 60% of land space) that can be converted to something more economically and socially productive
• Wide roads with wide grass or flush medians that can be easily retrofitted like Davis Avenue is at the moment
• surrounded by a large residential population base
• next door to the Wiri Industrial Complex (employment base)
• Has tertiary institutions, and a good foundation with its commercial base

Cue next the “pencil” context drawings to give a “frame-work” on improving the Manukau City Centre Area (click to enlarge):

Manukau Redevelopment Context – tracing paper

Manukau Redevelopment Context Annotated MK1

Manukau Mall Redevelopment Context – tracing

Manukau Mall Redevelopment Context MK1

Then on the MK 3 Sketch Up mock-ups to see what can be adapted to facilitate Manukau being both green and walkable. This is what I got for Manukau Redevelopment MK4 – A Green and Walkable Super Metropolitan Centre:

Manukau Transport Interchange Development Alternative

Manukau MK 4 with street lighting 1 annotated

Click for full resolution

And finally the starting of the Botany Sky Train mock-up at the Manukau City Centre section of the proposed Sky Train network

Click for full resolution

The Botany Sky Train proposal (ideally the Airport-Manukau-Botany sections completed by 2030) is explained in my Light Rail and Urban Renewal post.

I will keep working away at this through out the month and showcase the progress as it happens.

None-the-less the challenge set down by Brent Toderian I have accepted. Sure it is not the Isthmus nor the CBD but Manukau is our second tier centre that is both South Auckland and the northern Waikato’s “regional” hub – the two areas forecast to under go some of the largest growth over the next 30 years. And as #SuperManukau is our hub serving that forecast growth area I think it needs and can be a great example of what a #AucklandWalkand Centre can be like.

Now to get the Council on-board and more proactive about the challenge