The Manukau Urban Room: Building a Bilingual, Mixed-Reality Sanctuary for South Auckland’s Future Traditional city planning has a glaring weakness: it takes place behind closed doors. High-level statutory rules, bureaucratic … Continue reading Time for The Manukau Urban Room: Building a Bilingual, Mixed-Reality Sanctuary for South Auckland’s Future
Let’s do this! The Airport to Botany (A2B) Rapid Transit project is currently designated by Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi NZTA as an 18km high-capacity Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor. … Continue reading Beyond the Busway: Why Light Rail is the Key to Unlocking Transform Manukau’s True Potential
We have been introduced to inter-city rail enabling transformation of our urban centres, now for a look into intra-city transit reinforcing those urban centres Before moving to our urban and … Continue reading Executive Summary: Airport to Botany (A2B) Rapid Transit and Urban Transformation
Prelude to the Planning Reforms We have covered how road design can harm other road users. We have also covered how reclaim streets, turn myopic urban areas into urban super … Continue reading Ben goes Planning Part 9.5. From Asphalt Seas to Living Streets: A Policy Framework for the 24-Hour Human City
Tokyo inspires what Manukau could be As the Parking mini-series continues on, we look to the urban and transit masters in Tokyo to assist the car centric Manukau City centre! … Continue reading Ben goes Planning Part 9.4. Parking and Placemaking: A Comparative Case Study of Urban Development in Tokyo and Manukau
Future Streets Initiative: A Phased Implementation Plan for Safer, More Liveable Public Spaces 1.0 Project Vision and Strategic Imperative This document outlines a phased implementation plan for the Future Streets … Continue reading Ben goes Planning Part 8.2: Reclaiming the Streets
Reconnecting the lost art (and science) of city, town and community building! With all the chatter about housing, housing shortfalls, loneliness, and resistance to brownfield developments (intensification), it could be … Continue reading The Missing Middle: Enabling the Complete Package, including those Universal Connections!
Better Cities = Better Living That is the question right? Which do you want more of; what is on the left or the right of the above picture. This is … Continue reading Reclaiming our cities: from a Sea of Parking to Oceans of Communities
Knowing ones place in Planning to deliver desirable outcomes The frank discussions with Hamish Rennie over the weekend on LinkedIn about the National Standardised Zones got me thinking two things: … Continue reading Placemaking: Public vs Private Realms and the Role of the Planner
Auckland’s second City Centre, #OurManukau, is undergoing a major urban renewal program called Transform Manukau. Despite setbacks due to Covid and changes in government policy, the area is gearing up for renewed activity, particularly with the anticipated economic recovery in 2025. Of particular interest is the Airport to Botany Rapid Transit Stage 2 (A2B), which, once construction starts, is expected to be a game-changer for Manukau and Southern Auckland. Keep an eye out for more updates in November after a tour of Manukau City Centre!
Talking Southern Auckland 