Britomart Transport Centre
iCity   Sep 28.2020

Introduction

Britomart Transport Centre is the public transport hub in the central business district of Auckland, New Zealand, and the northern terminus of the North Island Main Trunk railway line. It combines a bus interchange with a railway station in a former Edwardian post office, extended with expansive post-modernist architectural elements. It is at the foot of Queen Street, the main commercial thoroughfare of Auckland city centre, with the main ferry terminal just across Quay Street.

Reason to Be Selected

It was announced on 17 May 2007 that electrification of Auckland's rail network would proceed. Installation of overhead wires began later, with Auckland Transport (initially ARTA) purchasing new electric units to replace the diesel trains. The project was expected to be completed in 2013.

Highlights:

Britomart public transportation hub center is embodied in two aspects in the protection of the original traditional buildings: First, the original traditional buildings on the site are retained and used, and only the facade is renovated to serve as the entire hub center Main entrance. There is also no major change in the interior, only the original ceiling and pillars are simply decorated to make it more modern, and the service area and ticket office in the first floor lobby are all original spaces and architectural forms Reuse. Another aspect worth mentioning is that the combination of the newly built part and the original traditional building is harmonious and perfect.

Details

Britomart Transport Centre involved 14 km of piling, some being 40 m long and driven 16 m into the underlying bedrock, mainly to provide good earthquake protection, and to futureproof the area for potential later construction of buildings on top of the station.
 200,000 cubic metres were excavated for the station, and 40,000 cubic metres of concrete poured. The station has a site area of 5.2 ha and includes 236 m² retail area.
The main chamber of Britomart is one of the best interiors in New Zealand and shows the influence of the main hall of the Austrian Postal Savings Bank building by Otto Wagner.

Conclusions

The underground walkway was closed to pedestrians from 29 March 2016 in order to facilitate preliminary works for the City Rail Link. In April and May 2016, the canopy was dismantled and removed from the site, and on 28 May 2016 the Downtown Shopping Centre was closed and fenced off for demolition.

 



Lat: 36.51
Lng: 174.47
Type:
Region: Oceania
Scale: District
Field: Infrastructure
City: Oakland