Queen Street, Auckland
Encyclopedia
Queen Street is the major commercial thoroughfare in the Auckland CBD
, Auckland
, New Zealand
's main population centre. It starts at Queens Wharf on the Auckland waterfront
, adjacent to the Britomart Transport Centre
and the Downtown Ferry Terminal
, and runs uphill for almost three kilometres in a mostly straight south-southwesterly direction towards the Karangahape Road ridge, and the residential suburbs in the interior of the Auckland isthmus.
. The early route of Queen Street led up the middle of a gully following the bank of the Waihorotiu Stream
(later bounded in as the 'Ligar Canal'). This canal was culverted beneath the street from the 1870s onward, allowing for further development of the street to be undertaken. The course of the stream is still reflected today in the slight bend of lower Queen Street. From north of Shortland Street, Queen Street is built on land reclaimed from the sea in the late 19th century (see Auckland waterfront
article).
There are several other 'Queen Streets' in the greater Auckland area, mostly in suburbs that were separate towns before being absorbed by a growing central city. Auckland was also called the "Queen City" since before the turn of the 20th century, though that term is now overshadowed by the nickname "City of Sails".
according to the plans set out by surveyor Felton Mathew. While the street was metalled in 1843 ('metal' is a New Zealand term for gravel road
), the natural stream still often overflowed its banks, and the area was still swampy. This led to canalisation and later covering-over of the stream.
In the 1880s, the first horse-drawn buses began connecting Queen Street with areas like Ponsonby Road or Remuera
. In 1900, the first motorcar was admired on the street, and in 1902 the street was finally asphalted, the first street in New Zealand. The same year the first electric trams also arrived, to provide services until 1956.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a wide number of imposing buildings constructed, such as the Smith & Caughey's
building, the Auckland Town Hall
or the General Post Office at the waterfront, later to become the Britomart Transport Centre
. By that time, the street was popular for many events such as parades and festivities, as well as for political activities such as the strike demonstrations of 1913. During the second half of the 20th century, many of the older buildings on Queen Street were demolished to make space for larger office buildings.
decided to address the issue of the 'tired' Queen Street through a major redevelopment of the street.
This involved the widening and relaying of footpaths with basalt kerbstones and paving. Granite insets, designed in consultation with the local Māori (Ngati Whatua
iwi), as well as recycled redchip pavers from the existing footpath, were used to denote special areas - such as those related to the existence of the old Waihorotiu Stream. New street furniture (such as multi-purpose poles for lighting, signage and pennants) and new trees and other landscaping were added to create a 'boulevard effect'. The liquid amber
s and Nikau Palm
s chosen for the new design touched of heated public discussion in 2006 as their inclusion came at the destruction of previous, established trees (which were not native flora
of New Zealand, and thus not retained in the new landscaping plan).
The 2006-2008 project repeatedly increased in cost, from NZ$23 million to around NZ$43.5 million, with some elements of the upgrade (such as an improved entrance to Myers Park) falling victim to the blowout. While Council noted in June 2007 that progress had often been quicker than expected, the cost overruns, and the long duration of the construction works - which substantially affected pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic as well as retail sales - made the upgrade unpopular in public, at least during the duration. It also became a problem issue for Dick Hubbard
in his failed campaign for reelection to Mayor of Auckland
in 2007.
The upgrade is now considered to have generally been a success, and has won the 2009 Urban Design
Award of the New Zealand Institute of Architects
, which commended it for creating a quality public realm and sense of place.
and to a somewhat disrespectful description of business people with rural investment interests (but without the associated knowledge): 'Queen Street farmers'. The street was immortalised by The Front Lawn
with their song (It started on) Queen Street.
The street has been the site of numerous parades, marches and other events of political, cultural or sporting nature. Together with adjacent High Street, it is the main retail precinct of the central city, with most national store, bank and restaurant franchises having a branch on the street. Several important other local businesses, such as the Smith & Caughey's
department store, have flagship branches here.
The street sees very high pedestrian numbers, that some have estimated as up to 10 times as high as on Broadway in Newmarket
, seen as Queen Street's closest shopping street rival in Auckland.
s and cycle lanes proposed for the outer lanes. Also proposed is a 30 km/h speed limit. These measures to be discussed in committee in August 2007 (with public consultation
ongoing in the meantime). Four physical lanes are to be kept, mainly to safeguard the street layout for future public transport options like light rail
.
The proposed changes have been criticised as being introduced 'on the sly' and to the detriment of car users important to the economic health of the CBD. It has been suggested that the bus lanes are to some degree fixing a Council-caused issue, as they are partially intended to recoup journey time lost due to the new signalised pedestrian crossing
s (see below). Some business owners have said that they will fight the changes if they are not convinced of proposed mitigation measures, possibly with legal action. Other owners have spoken in favour of the proposal, arguing that it will benefit business.
The changes also included further improvements to pedestrian facilities, with the total footpath area increasing by 20% to almost 14,000 m², and longer traffic signal phases for pedestrians, while three new signalised pedestrian crossings have been introduced mid-block, at accident 'black spots'. Also undertaken was a reduction of on-street parking spaces from 81 to 51, part of the prioritisation for pedestrians. The remaining spaces will be reserved short-term parking (i.e. drop-offs, loading). Not included in the design are dedicated bus bays, which some critics have noted as a serious oversight, causing potential delays on the proposed bus lanes.
s provided public transport along Queen Street, and it was the only street in New Zealand with grand union
s, double-track to double-track junctions, where trams could go to all directions from all directions. These junctions were at the intersections with Customs Street and Wellesley Street. Since the closure of Auckland's tram network, Balaclava Junction
on Melbourne
, Australia
's tram network
has been the sole grand union left in the Southern Hemisphere.
At the northern waterfront entrance to Queen Street is Queen Elizabeth II Square, often referred to as QEII Square. Around this area are several significant buildings, including the:
Many large corporations, insurance companies and banks had substantial buildings on Queen Street and in some cases their head offices were located here rather than in Wellington (the capital). Between Custom Street & Wellesley Street, Queen Street is lined with retail and office buildings. This section of the street is where the majority of the high-rise buildings are located. These are mostly 20th century in origin, although a number of 19th century structures survive. The most significant buildings along the middle part of the street are the:
Beyond the Wellesley Street intersection lies the midtown district, with its entertainment and civic focus, centred around Aotea Square. Here are located most of the important Civic buildings, including the:
Further up Queen Street beyond Mayoral Drive is the uptown district, centred on Myers Park
. This is often referred to as Upper Queen Street, although that name actually refers to a separate continuation of Queen Street on the other side of the K'Road ridge. The most significant buildings in this area are the:
Beyond the Karangahape Road ridge the southernmost 500 metres of the street is called Upper Queen Street, and it crosses the eastern part of the Central Motorway Junction
, the largest interchange on the New Zealand State Highway network
.
Auckland CBD
The Auckland CBD is the geographical and economic heart of the Auckland metropolitan area. Bounded by several major motorways and by the harbour coastline in the north, it is surrounded further out by mostly suburban areas...
, Auckland
Auckland City
Auckland City was the city and local authority covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand. On 1 November 2010 it was amalgamated into the wider Auckland Region under the authority of the new Auckland Council...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's main population centre. It starts at Queens Wharf on the Auckland waterfront
Auckland waterfront
The Auckland waterfront is a city-side stretch of the southern Waitemata Harbour coastline in Auckland City, New Zealand...
, adjacent to the Britomart Transport Centre
Britomart Transport Centre
Britomart Transport Centre is the CBD public transport hub of Auckland, New Zealand, and the northern terminus of the North Island Main Trunk line. It combines a bus interchange with a railway station in a former Edwardian post office, extended with expansive post-modernist architectural elements...
and the Downtown Ferry Terminal
Auckland Ferry Terminal
The Auckland Ferry Terminal, sometimes called the Downtown Ferry Terminal, is the hub of the Auckland ferry network that connects Auckland City with North Shore City and some locations in Waitakere City and Manukau City. The ferry terminal is in the Auckland CBD on the Auckland waterfront...
, and runs uphill for almost three kilometres in a mostly straight south-southwesterly direction towards the Karangahape Road ridge, and the residential suburbs in the interior of the Auckland isthmus.
Geography
Named after Queen Victoria, Queen Street was an early development of the new town of Auckland (founded in 1840) although initially the main street was intended to be Shortland Street, running parallel to the shore of Commercial BayCommercial Bay
Commercial Bay was the bay on the southern side of the Waitemata Harbour, formerly defining the original extent of the Auckland waterfront, Auckland, New Zealand...
. The early route of Queen Street led up the middle of a gully following the bank of the Waihorotiu Stream
Waihorotiu Stream
The Waihorutiu Stream , also called the 'Queen Street River', is a former stream in the downtown region of Auckland City, New Zealand, which has long since been covered over and made to disappear by the increasing urbanisation of the area.-History:Originally, it was an open stream starting out in a...
(later bounded in as the 'Ligar Canal'). This canal was culverted beneath the street from the 1870s onward, allowing for further development of the street to be undertaken. The course of the stream is still reflected today in the slight bend of lower Queen Street. From north of Shortland Street, Queen Street is built on land reclaimed from the sea in the late 19th century (see Auckland waterfront
Auckland waterfront
The Auckland waterfront is a city-side stretch of the southern Waitemata Harbour coastline in Auckland City, New Zealand...
article).
There are several other 'Queen Streets' in the greater Auckland area, mostly in suburbs that were separate towns before being absorbed by a growing central city. Auckland was also called the "Queen City" since before the turn of the 20th century, though that term is now overshadowed by the nickname "City of Sails".
History
Street, Stream & Canal
Settlement in the Queen Street area began in 1841 with a number of wooden buildings along the western side, following the general path of the Waihorotiu StreamWaihorotiu Stream
The Waihorutiu Stream , also called the 'Queen Street River', is a former stream in the downtown region of Auckland City, New Zealand, which has long since been covered over and made to disappear by the increasing urbanisation of the area.-History:Originally, it was an open stream starting out in a...
according to the plans set out by surveyor Felton Mathew. While the street was metalled in 1843 ('metal' is a New Zealand term for gravel road
Gravel road
A gravel road is a type of unpaved road surfaced with gravel that has been brought to the site from a quarry or stream bed. They are common in less-developed nations, and also in the rural areas of developed nations such as Canada and the United States. In New Zealand, they are known as 'metal roads'...
), the natural stream still often overflowed its banks, and the area was still swampy. This led to canalisation and later covering-over of the stream.
Mainstreet of Auckland
After a fire in 1858 destroyed around 50 buildings in High Street and Shortland Street, the commercial district began to shift towards Queen Street instead, and the first brick and plaster buildings of the 1860s started to cement this move, with the Bank of New Zealand building (only the facade remaining) being one of the first examples. Fires however still continued the plague the new town, with one in 1873 wiping out another 54 buildings in the Queen Street area between Wellesley Street West and Grey Street (today Greys Avenue). The fires, amongst other things, led to the establishment of the Auckland Volunteer Fire Service.In the 1880s, the first horse-drawn buses began connecting Queen Street with areas like Ponsonby Road or Remuera
Remuera
Remuera is a residential suburban area within Auckland city, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located four kilometres to the southeast of the city centre...
. In 1900, the first motorcar was admired on the street, and in 1902 the street was finally asphalted, the first street in New Zealand. The same year the first electric trams also arrived, to provide services until 1956.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a wide number of imposing buildings constructed, such as the Smith & Caughey's
Smith & Caughey's
Smith & Caughey's is a mid-sized department store chain in New Zealand, and is considered to be a top-range store....
building, the Auckland Town Hall
Auckland Town Hall
The Auckland Town Hall is a historic building on Queen Street in downtown Auckland, New Zealand, known both for its original and ongoing use for administrative functions , as well as for its famed Great Hall and its separate Concert Chamber...
or the General Post Office at the waterfront, later to become the Britomart Transport Centre
Britomart Transport Centre
Britomart Transport Centre is the CBD public transport hub of Auckland, New Zealand, and the northern terminus of the North Island Main Trunk line. It combines a bus interchange with a railway station in a former Edwardian post office, extended with expansive post-modernist architectural elements...
. By that time, the street was popular for many events such as parades and festivities, as well as for political activities such as the strike demonstrations of 1913. During the second half of the 20th century, many of the older buildings on Queen Street were demolished to make space for larger office buildings.
Modern upgrade
Public perception in the early 2000s was that Queen Street has lost some of its good reputation in the last decades, with a rundown and uncoordinated streetscape and the loss of several prestigious retailers cited as either causes or effects of this. Auckland City CouncilAuckland City Council
Auckland City Council was the local government authority representing Auckland City, New Zealand, and was amalgamated into the Auckland Council on 1 November 2010. It was an elected body representing the 404,658 residents of the city...
decided to address the issue of the 'tired' Queen Street through a major redevelopment of the street.
This involved the widening and relaying of footpaths with basalt kerbstones and paving. Granite insets, designed in consultation with the local Māori (Ngati Whatua
Ngati Whatua
Ngāti Whātua is a Māori iwi of New Zealand. It consists of four hapu : Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa, Te Taoū, and Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei....
iwi), as well as recycled redchip pavers from the existing footpath, were used to denote special areas - such as those related to the existence of the old Waihorotiu Stream. New street furniture (such as multi-purpose poles for lighting, signage and pennants) and new trees and other landscaping were added to create a 'boulevard effect'. The liquid amber
American Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua, commonly called the American sweetgum, sweet-gum, alligator-wood, American-storax, bilsted, red-gum, satin-walnut, or star-leaved gum, is a deciduous tree in the genus Liquidambar native to warm temperate areas of eastern North America and tropical montane regions of Mexico...
s and Nikau Palm
Nikau
Nikau is a palm tree, the only palm endemic to New Zealand.-Etymology:Nīkau is a Māori word; in the closely related Eastern Polynesian languages of the tropical Pacific, it refers to the fronds or the midrib of the coconut palm.- Distribution:The Nikau palm is the only palm species endemic to...
s chosen for the new design touched of heated public discussion in 2006 as their inclusion came at the destruction of previous, established trees (which were not native flora
Native plant
Native plant is a term to describe plants endemic or naturalized to a given area in geologic time.This includes plants that have developed, occur naturally, or existed for many years in an area...
of New Zealand, and thus not retained in the new landscaping plan).
The 2006-2008 project repeatedly increased in cost, from NZ$23 million to around NZ$43.5 million, with some elements of the upgrade (such as an improved entrance to Myers Park) falling victim to the blowout. While Council noted in June 2007 that progress had often been quicker than expected, the cost overruns, and the long duration of the construction works - which substantially affected pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic as well as retail sales - made the upgrade unpopular in public, at least during the duration. It also became a problem issue for Dick Hubbard
Dick Hubbard
Richard "Dick" John Hubbard ONZM, DSc is a New Zealand businessman and politician, founder and principal of Hubbards Foods in Auckland, and Mayor of Auckland City from 2004 to 2007. His management of Hubbard Foods gained some prominence for its participation in and promotion of socially...
in his failed campaign for reelection to Mayor of Auckland
Mayor of Auckland
The Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland region in New Zealand...
in 2007.
The upgrade is now considered to have generally been a success, and has won the 2009 Urban Design
Urban design
Urban design concerns the arrangement, appearance and functionality of towns and cities, and in particular the shaping and uses of urban public space. It has traditionally been regarded as a disciplinary subset of urban planning, landscape architecture, or architecture and in more recent times has...
Award of the New Zealand Institute of Architects
New Zealand Institute of Architects
The New Zealand Institute of Architects is a membership based professional organisation. This body represents 90% of all registered architects in New Zealand and promotes architecture that enhances the New Zealand living environment....
, which commended it for creating a quality public realm and sense of place.
Character
Queen Street is known by repute all over the country, even by people who have never seen it. It gives its name to the most expensive square in the New Zealand version of MonopolyMonopoly (game)
Marvin Gardens, the leading yellow property on the board shown, is actually a misspelling of the original location name, Marven Gardens. The misspelling was said to be introduced by Charles Todd and passed on when his home-made Monopoly board was copied by Charles Darrow and thence to Parker...
and to a somewhat disrespectful description of business people with rural investment interests (but without the associated knowledge): 'Queen Street farmers'. The street was immortalised by The Front Lawn
The Front Lawn
The Front Lawn was a New Zealand musical/theatrical duo formed by Don McGlashan and Harry Sinclair. From 1989-90, they were joined by Jennifer Ward-Lealand. Their song Andy appeared at number 82 in the Top 100 New Zealand Songs...
with their song (It started on) Queen Street.
The street has been the site of numerous parades, marches and other events of political, cultural or sporting nature. Together with adjacent High Street, it is the main retail precinct of the central city, with most national store, bank and restaurant franchises having a branch on the street. Several important other local businesses, such as the Smith & Caughey's
Smith & Caughey's
Smith & Caughey's is a mid-sized department store chain in New Zealand, and is considered to be a top-range store....
department store, have flagship branches here.
The street sees very high pedestrian numbers, that some have estimated as up to 10 times as high as on Broadway in Newmarket
Newmarket, New Zealand
Newmarket is an Auckland suburb to the south-east of the central business district. With its high building density, especially of retail shops, it is considered New Zealand's premier retailing area, and a rival of local competitor Auckland CBD...
, seen as Queen Street's closest shopping street rival in Auckland.
Usage proportions
Prior to the 2006-2008 street upgrade, it was surveyed that Queen Street had over 50,000 pedestrians, 40,000 public transport users and 20,000 people in private vehicles using it daily. It has been predicted by Council that the private car share will drop by around 15%. An editorial of The New Zealand Herald, accused Council of using overestimated public transport user numbers for political purposes to support its bus lane plans (see below).Upgrade priorities
Due to the upgrade construction work on Queen Street, Auckland City Council reduced traffic lanes for vehicles to one lane in each direction in early 2007. A proposal was made for this to become a permanent traffic layout, with extended public transport provisions such as bus laneBus lane
A bus lane or bus only lane is a lane restricted to buses, and generally used to speed up public transport that would be otherwise held up by traffic congestion...
s and cycle lanes proposed for the outer lanes. Also proposed is a 30 km/h speed limit. These measures to be discussed in committee in August 2007 (with public consultation
Public consultation
Public consultation, or simply consultation, is a regulatory process by which the public's input on matters affecting them is sought. Its main goals are in improving the efficiency, transparency and public involvement in large-scale projects or laws and policies...
ongoing in the meantime). Four physical lanes are to be kept, mainly to safeguard the street layout for future public transport options like light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
.
The proposed changes have been criticised as being introduced 'on the sly' and to the detriment of car users important to the economic health of the CBD. It has been suggested that the bus lanes are to some degree fixing a Council-caused issue, as they are partially intended to recoup journey time lost due to the new signalised pedestrian crossing
Pedestrian crossing
A pedestrian crossing or crosswalk is a designated point on a road at which some means are employed to assist pedestrians wishing to cross. They are designed to keep pedestrians together where they can be seen by motorists, and where they can cross most safely across the flow of vehicular traffic...
s (see below). Some business owners have said that they will fight the changes if they are not convinced of proposed mitigation measures, possibly with legal action. Other owners have spoken in favour of the proposal, arguing that it will benefit business.
The changes also included further improvements to pedestrian facilities, with the total footpath area increasing by 20% to almost 14,000 m², and longer traffic signal phases for pedestrians, while three new signalised pedestrian crossings have been introduced mid-block, at accident 'black spots'. Also undertaken was a reduction of on-street parking spaces from 81 to 51, part of the prioritisation for pedestrians. The remaining spaces will be reserved short-term parking (i.e. drop-offs, loading). Not included in the design are dedicated bus bays, which some critics have noted as a serious oversight, causing potential delays on the proposed bus lanes.
Former tram network
Until December 1956, tramTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s provided public transport along Queen Street, and it was the only street in New Zealand with grand union
Grand union
A grand union is a rail track junction where two double-track railway lines cross at grade, often in a street intersection or crossroads. A total of sixteen railroad switches allow streetcars coming from any direction to take any of the three other directions...
s, double-track to double-track junctions, where trams could go to all directions from all directions. These junctions were at the intersections with Customs Street and Wellesley Street. Since the closure of Auckland's tram network, Balaclava Junction
Balaclava Junction
Balaclava Junction is the only extant grand union in the Southern Hemisphere, a junction where trams can go in all directions from all directions...
on Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's tram network
Trams in Melbourne
The Melbourne tramway network is a major form of public transport in Melbourne, the capital city of the state of Victoria, Australia. , the network consisted of of track, 487 trams, 28 routes, and 1,773 tram stops. It was therefore the largest urban tramway network in the world, ahead of the...
has been the sole grand union left in the Southern Hemisphere.
Buildings and attractions
- Auckland Ferry BuildingAuckland Ferry TerminalThe Auckland Ferry Terminal, sometimes called the Downtown Ferry Terminal, is the hub of the Auckland ferry network that connects Auckland City with North Shore City and some locations in Waitakere City and Manukau City. The ferry terminal is in the Auckland CBD on the Auckland waterfront...
, 1911. Alexander Wiseman architect. This brick and sandstone building is in the Edwardian Baroque style. It was renovated in 1986 at a cost of $11 million.
- (Former) Chief Post Office, 1910. John CampbellJohn Campbell (architect)John Campbell was an architect, responsible for many government buildings in New Zealand.Born in Scotland, he travelled to New Zealand in 1882 after training in Glasgow under John Gordon. From 1883 to his retirement in 1922 he worked for the government, holding the title of Government Architect...
architect. Opened by Prime Minister William MasseyWilliam MasseyWilliam Ferguson Massey, often known as Bill Massey or "Farmer Bill" served as the 19th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1912 to 1925, and was the founder of the Reform Party. He is widely considered to have been one of the more skilled politicians of his time, and was known for the particular...
before a crowd of over 8,000. This Edwardian Baroque building of limestone and granite has recently been incorporated into the Britomart Transport CentreBritomart Transport CentreBritomart Transport Centre is the CBD public transport hub of Auckland, New Zealand, and the northern terminus of the North Island Main Trunk line. It combines a bus interchange with a railway station in a former Edwardian post office, extended with expansive post-modernist architectural elements...
. Campbell was the Government Architect, and consequently this building has similar feature to the New Zealand Parliament BuildingsNew Zealand Parliament BuildingsThe New Zealand Parliament Buildings house the New Zealand Parliament and are on a 45,000 square metre site at the northern end of Lambton Quay, Wellington...
in WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, which were constructed around the same time.
- (Former) Custom House, 1888. Thomas Mahoney architect, 22 Custom St. This building displays the mansard roofs typical of the French Second Empire Style. In 1909 an addition was built to the south [now demolished]. Prior to the Town Hall's opening in 1911 several departments of the Auckland City Council were located here. The Custom House has been recently renovated for retail use.
Many large corporations, insurance companies and banks had substantial buildings on Queen Street and in some cases their head offices were located here rather than in Wellington (the capital). Between Custom Street & Wellesley Street, Queen Street is lined with retail and office buildings. This section of the street is where the majority of the high-rise buildings are located. These are mostly 20th century in origin, although a number of 19th century structures survive. The most significant buildings along the middle part of the street are the:
- Dilworth BuildingDilworth BuildingThe Dilworth Building is a heritage mixed-use building at the corner of Customs Street and Queen Street in the Auckland CBD, New Zealand...
, 1927. Gummer and FordGummer and FordGummer and Ford was an architectural firm founded in 1923 in Auckland, New Zealand by William John Gummer and C. Reginald Ford. It was among the country's best-regarded architectural firm of the first half of the 20th century, designing numerous iconic buildings, including the former National Art...
architects. 22 Queen St. Envisaged as one of a pair of buildings flanking the entrance to Queen Street and thus being a "Gateway to Auckland". The use of electric cranes rather than hydraulic meant a very short construction period. The Dilworth Building is a reinforced concreteReinforced concreteReinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
structure encased in Portland stone. William Gummer had been trained in the offices of Sir Edwin Lutyens, and this building shows influence of this connection.
- Bank of New Zealand Building, 1865. Leonard Terry architect. 125 Queen St. Built of stone imported from HobartHobartHobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, Australia, this building was originally only five bays wide, and in 1882 two more bays were added on the Queen Street facade. In 1986 this building was substantially altered, and now only the facade remains, attached to a large high rise office building.
- Strand Arcade, 1900. 233-237 Queen St. Commissioned by Sir Arthur MyersArthur MyersSir Arthur Mielziner Myers was a New Zealand politician. He was Mayor of Auckland City from 1905 to 1909, Member of the House of Representatives from 1910 to 1921, and a Cabinet Minister...
, with the latest in lifts, ventilation and lighting. Renovated in 1970 this Edwardian shopping arcade has remained largely unaltered.
- Landmark House, Former Auckland Electric Power Board Building 1927. Wade & Bartley architects. Cnr Queen St & Durham St east. This is an example of the early Art DecoArt DecoArt deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
- gothicGothic Revival architectureThe Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
skys style. The design emphasises the vertical, drawing on references from Chicago and New York skyscrapers of the period. The Auckland Electric Power Board used the building as a form of advertising by flood lighting the exterior.
- Vulcan Buildings, 1928. Holman Moses & Watkins architects. This elegant building stands prominently on the southern corner of Vulcan Lane and Queen Street, and has design influences principally from Neoclassical architectureNeoclassical architectureNeoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
, but also the English Arts and Crafts movementArts and Crafts movementArts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
. A defining feature is the cupolaCupolaIn architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
on the top of the building. The building also marks a significant change in built form of Central Auckland, as the city was being transformed from the low-rise buildings of the 19th century to the high-rise buildings of the 20th century.
- Auckland Savings Bank BuildingAuckland Savings Bank BuildingBuilt in 1884 and located at 260 Queen Street, Auckland, this building was formerly owned by the Auckland Savings Bank, but became a McDonalds in the 1980s...
, 1884. Edward BartleyEdward BartleyEdward Bartley was an architect from New Zealand. He was born in Saint Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands. He arrived in New Zealand 1854...
architect. 260 Queen St. This is an example of the mid Victorian italianate style. The facade displays columns and panels of coloured marble and granite. In 1977 this building became a McDonald's restaurant, although the facade and interior remain largely intact due to a sensitive renovation.
Beyond the Wellesley Street intersection lies the midtown district, with its entertainment and civic focus, centred around Aotea Square. Here are located most of the important Civic buildings, including the:
- Auckland Art GalleryAuckland Art GalleryAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is the principal public gallery in Auckland, New Zealand and has the most extensive collection of national and international art in New Zealand...
, 1887. Grainger & D'Ebro architects. Cnr Kitchener St & Wellesley St. This is one of Auckland's most attractive buildings. The Melbourne architects won a public competition with their design of a French ChateauChâteauA château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
in the style of Francois II. Only after the opening of the Town Hall in 1911 and the new Public Library in 1971 was this building devoted exclusively to the Art Gallery.
- Auckland Civic TheatreAuckland Civic TheatreThe Auckland Civic Theatre is a large heritage theatre seating 2,378 people in central Auckland, New Zealand. First opened on 20 December 1929, it was reopened in 2000 after a major renovation and conservation effort...
, 1929. Bohringer, Taylor & Johnson architects. 269 Queen St. This is one of the best remaining examples of an atmospheric theatreAtmospheric theatreAn atmospheric theatre is a type of movie palace which has an auditorium ceiling that is intended to give the illusion of an open sky as its defining feature...
. Monumental Art DecoArt DecoArt deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
stripped-classical facade hides a lavish Hollywood inspired interior. The lobby is a reproduction of an Indian rock temple decorated with 500 elephants. The auditorium is decorated as an open courtyard in ancient BaghdadBaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, the ceiling imitating the night sky with hundreds of electric stars placed as they appear in the southern sky. Extensively renovated in 1994 it is now part of a larger entertainment and retail complex.
- Auckland Town HallAuckland Town HallThe Auckland Town Hall is a historic building on Queen Street in downtown Auckland, New Zealand, known both for its original and ongoing use for administrative functions , as well as for its famed Great Hall and its separate Concert Chamber...
, 1911. J. Clark & Sons architects. 303 Queen St. A MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
firm designed this building in the English BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style. It is built of Melbourne Bluestone and Oamaru stoneOamaru stoneOamaru stone is a hard, compact limestone, quarried at Weston, near Oamaru in Otago, New Zealand.The stone is used for building purposes, especially where ornate moulding is required. The finished stonework has a creamy, sandy colour...
with art nouveauArt NouveauArt Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
leadlight windows. The main auditorium has excellent acoustics being based upon the famous GewandhausGewandhausGewandhaus is a concert hall in Leipzig, Germany. Today's hall is the third to bear this name; like the second, it is noted for its fine acoustics. The first Gewandhaus was built in 1781 by architect Johann Carl Friedrich Dauthe. The second opened on 11 December 1884, and was destroyed in the...
Concert Hall in LeipzigLeipzigLeipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, Germany. The large pipe organPipe organThe pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
was donated by Sir Henry Brett, a former mayor of Auckland. This building was renovated in the late 1990s and continues to be widely considered as Auckland's premier concert venue.
- Aotea CentreAotea CentreThe Aotea Centre is a performing arts and events centre / theatre in the Auckland CBD, Auckland City, New Zealand. Located at the western edge of Aotea Square, off Queen Street, the centre provides cultural venue space in the heart of the city and is managed by 'The Edge'...
, 1990. Ewen Wainscott architect. Initially proposed in 1949 as the Auckland Centennial Hall, construction of this building was delayed for several decades. Intended to supplant the town hall, when it opened it was found to have acoustical problems resulting in a costly refit. Complaints from performers over many years resulted in the renovation of the Town Hall. The lobby of the Aotea Centre contains many art works by New Zealand artists.
- Council Administration Block, 1966. Tibor K.Donner architect. Considered a positive example of 1950s modernismModernismModernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
, which contrasts with the 1911 Town Hall on the far side of Aotea Square. Is considered to be Auckland's first 'skyscraper'.
Further up Queen Street beyond Mayoral Drive is the uptown district, centred on Myers Park
Myers Park (Auckland)
Myers Park is a narrow park in central Auckland, New Zealand, running parallel to the upper part of Queen Street. It is characterised by steep, grassed slopes and canopied with a mixture of large exotic and native trees, including an alley of large palm trees...
. This is often referred to as Upper Queen Street, although that name actually refers to a separate continuation of Queen Street on the other side of the K'Road ridge. The most significant buildings in this area are the:
- Theosophical Society Building, 1923. Henry Robinson architect. Located at the Queen St entrance to Myers Park this is a fine example of interwar neo-classical architecture for the Theosophical SocietyTheosophical SocietyThe Theosophical Society is an organization formed in 1875 to advance the spiritual principles and search for Truth known as Theosophy. The original organization, after splits and realignments has several successors...
. Recently renovated as a 'gentlemen's clubStrip clubA strip club is an adult entertainment venue in which striptease or other erotic or exotic dance is regularly performed. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, but can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style....
' called 'The White House'.
- Myers Free Kindergarten 1916 B.Chilwell & R.Trevithick architects. Designed as a large homely cottage this brick and stucco building is located in the middle of the 1914 Myers Park. An example of Arts & CraftsArts and Crafts movementArts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
architecture which still operates as a kindergartenKindergartenA kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
.
- Auckland Baptist TabernacleAuckland Baptist TabernacleThe Auckland Baptist Tabernacle is a heritage-listed church located near the corner of Queen Street and Karangahape Road, at the edge of Auckland central business district in New Zealand.-History:...
1884 Edmund Bell architect. Near the corner of Queen St & Karangahape Road. Large Imperial Roman temple. The interior has decorative ceiling stencilwork in the neo-classical style by Samuel and Charles Blomfield.
Beyond the Karangahape Road ridge the southernmost 500 metres of the street is called Upper Queen Street, and it crosses the eastern part of the Central Motorway Junction
Central Motorway Junction
The Central Motorway Junction or CMJ , is the intersection of New Zealand State Highways 1 and 16, just south of the central business district of Auckland, New Zealand...
, the largest interchange on the New Zealand State Highway network
New Zealand State Highway network
The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand. Just under 100 roads in both the North and South Islands are State Highways...
.
External links
- History of Queen Street (from the Auckland City CouncilAuckland City CouncilAuckland City Council was the local government authority representing Auckland City, New Zealand, and was amalgamated into the Auckland Council on 1 November 2010. It was an elected body representing the 404,658 residents of the city...
website)