Henderson carparks go global in sustainable design initiative

Henderson carparks go global in sustainable design initiative
Two west Auckland carparks are getting global attention in a competition to transform urban sites.

The Reinventing Cities competition is run by C40, a global network of cities working to tackle climate change. As a member of the C40 group, Auckland has nominated the Falls and Alderman carparks in Henderson as potential carbon-zero mixed-use residential housing development sites.

Under the rules of the competition, bidding teams submit design ideas that must aim for top-notch sustainability – encompassing energy, water, waste, transport and on-site vegetation.

An urban eco-centre

Environment and Community Committee Chair and Waitākere Ward Councillor Penny Hulse says the low-carbon opportunity was a perfect fit with the future vision of Henderson as an ‘urban eco-centre’.

“West Aucklanders feel very proud of the amazing natural attributes we have here, which is why redevelopment needs to be sustainable. This is a great opportunity to speed up the provision of new housing that the area desperately needs, with a focus on low-carbon design. It’s a great opportunity to tap into new ideas and innovation while staying true to the spirit and heart of Henderson.”

Henderson-Massey Local Board Chair Shane Henderson says this is a very exciting initiative that will open the door to world-leading design and environmental thinking.

“Developing these two carparks in an eco-friendly way will be a game changer for Henderson. We have been working hard to develop Henderson into a vibrant and well-designed town centre. This shows that with more housing focusing on environmental sustainability, families will be excited to make their home here, in a town with a rich history and an exciting future.”

The Falls Carpark borders the historic Falls Hotel on Edmonton Road, while the Alderman site across the road borders the Oratia Stream. Both are close to proposed cycleways and have areas of natural bush. They are also close to the West Wave Pool and Leisure Centre, which Auckland Council is investigating as a possible source of renewable energy, via an innovative scheme to capture and reuse waste heat.

A global initiative

Taking part in Reinventing Cities puts Auckland alongside more than 40 cities around the world as diverse as Milan, Houston, Oslo, Paris and Mexico City.

Information about the Henderson sites has been made available to project teams locally and around the world, with the first phase of the competition closing in May. From there, three project teams will be shortlisted to go to the next phase with an eventual winner chosen in December. Bidding teams are expected to design and develop the sites in line with the city brief so they need to be credible and experienced.

Henderson’s Reinventing Cities involvement is being led by Panuku Development Auckland, Auckland Council’s urban regeneration agency.

More information, including an expression of interest pack, is available from Panuku and from the C40 Reinventing Cities project website. Expressions of interest close 4 May.

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