53-508: Aotea Square ( Māori : Aotea - Te Papa Tū Wātea ) is a large paved public area in the CBD of Auckland , New Zealand . Officially opened in 1979 by Sir Dove-Myer Robinson next to Queen Street , it is used for open-air concerts and gatherings, markets, and political rallies. In November 2010, a major redevelopment of Aotea Square was completed. The square was redesigned to make it appropriate for use by crowds of up to 20,000 people. Its name
106-462: A competition for a redesign was held, but in 2004, before the winning design by Ted Smyth and Associates (including Rod Barnett and Dr Dushko Bogunovich) could be built, damage to the car park roof was discovered, which stopped the project. While the roof was temporarily stabilised and plans for its repair made, a consultation process initiated by mayor Dick Hubbard called 'Outside the Square' resulted in
159-636: A higher share of employment in large firms than other areas in Auckland. Over half of the large firms in Auckland CBD are in office-based sectors (such as property and business services and finance and insurance) and are in the Downtown and Waterfront areas of the CBD. In 2004 Auckland CBD had 72,540 employees and 9125 businesses. 2006 Auckland CBD had 78,444 employees and 9,461 businesses. Air New Zealand
212-429: A matter often discussed in the media, especially after the 2008 elected council chose to reduce the annual upgrade budget by NZ$ 39 million to $ 218 million and reduced the budget for new footpaths from NZ$ 39.5 million to $ 5.7 million, as part of their campaign to reduce rates increases. Auckland City, as part of its landscaping programmes, had planted more than 103,000 trees since 2002, with about 16,000 new trees in 2008,
265-529: A new proposal. This proposal was abandoned after it was estimated to cost up to $ 600 million. After this the old design was revised several times (including some feedback from public consultation in August 2008) and was adopted in 2008. Construction started in November 2008 and ran to late 2010, during which there were no events in the square. The project was projected to cost NZ$ 80 million, around $ 45 million for
318-554: A number of other parallel-running streets. The CBD is generally considered to be bounded by the main motorways that surround all non-harbour sides, with State Highway 1 forming the southern and western boundaries, and State Highway 16 / Grafton Gully forming the eastern boundary. The CBD has an area of 433 hectares (1,070 acres), similar to the Sydney CBD , and twice as large as the CBDs of Wellington and Christchurch . The CBD
371-664: A rate that was estimated at four times the trimming and removal rate of public and private trees. In the financial year ending June 2007, Auckland City Council had operating revenue of NZ$ 552 million, of which 68% came from Council rates , which were NZ$ 859 per ratepayer on average. It expended NZ$ 343 million on capital projects, of which 45% went to 'transport' expenses, 19% to 'property and asset management' and 17% to 'open spaces, parks and streetscapes', while 10% were spent on 'stormwater and waste management'. Another 7% were spent on 'arts and culture' and 2% on 'zoo, recreational facilities and community development'. The operating surplus
424-569: A significant part of Auckland's education business. The Ministry of Education operates state-operated schools throughout the area. Private secondary schools within the CBD include ACG New Zealand International College , ACG Senior College , and Auckland International College . Many of Auckland's historic Christian churches are located in the CBD, although not all are the original buildings. Heritage New Zealand Category 1 Historic Place registered churches include: St Paul's Anglican Church , founded in 1841, St Patrick's Catholic Cathedral
477-600: Is Auckland's main conference and theatre venue, the Aotea Centre . The foyer contains art works by many New Zealand artists including a full-length portrait in bronze of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa by Terry Stringer . To the north of the square is a cinema/theatre complex which includes the Event Cinema venue in the IMAX centre, and the 1929 Civic Theatre , which was built in the atmospheric theatre style; its main chamber
530-655: Is New Zealand's leading financial hub, and the centre of the country's economy ; the GDP of the Auckland Region was NZD$ 139 billion in the year ending September 2023. The CBD is one of the most densely developed places in New Zealand, with many commercial and some residential developments packed into a space of only 433 hectares (1,070 acres). The area is made up of the city's largest concentration of skyscrapers and businesses. Bounded by several major motorways and by
583-504: Is also the largest employment centre in New Zealand, with around 65,000 jobs, representing 13% of the regional workforce, and 25% of the Auckland City workforce. Around 73,000 people enter the CBD every morning between 7 am and 9 am, 60% of these by car, while the total 'turnover' is around 270,000 people per day. In 2003 many large corporations were housed in the Auckland CBD. During the same year, an Auckland City report stated that
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#1732790534367636-473: Is derived from Motu Aotea , the Māori name for Great Barrier Island , which is the largest offshore island of New Zealand, approximately 90 km (56 mi) from downtown Auckland. The square was created in 1979, with a large part of it being the former end of Grey's Avenue, which used to connect directly to Queen Street – a large underground carpark with 930 spaces had been erected underneath in 1975. In 2000
689-479: Is illuminated with lights placed to correspond with the constellations of the southern night sky. Aotea Square was originally the location of a swamp, filled and drained by the Waihorotiu Stream . The stream was turned into an open sewer canal and eventually bricked over and the swampy area drained. A three-storey underground parking garage accessible from Mayoral Drive and Greys Avenue was constructed in
742-727: Is one of the few places in New Zealand that has skyscraper-sized buildings, such as the Vero Centre , Commercial Bay (skyscraper) , ANZ Centre or the Metropolis , with the Sky Tower rising above them. Residential high-density buildings constructed within the last decade have helped to increase the population living in the CBD to around 54,620 (2018 estimate) from an earlier 21,390 (2006 estimate), all being growth from only 1,400 in 1991. Much of this growth has been driven by immigration to New Zealand , particularly from Asia, and
795-659: Is to a substantial part located on reclaimed land of the Waitematā Harbour. For a closer discussion of this aspect, see the Commercial Bay and Auckland waterfront articles. On 20 March 1840, paramount chief of the Ngāti Whātua Māori iwi (tribe) of Auckland Apihai Te Kawau , signed the Treaty of Waitangi . Ngāti Whātua sought British protection from Ngāpuhi as well as a reciprocal relationship with
848-514: Is today referred to informally as Lower Queen Street. As well as being the location of a great many multi-storey warehouses, initially the Lower Queen Street area also contained many manufacturing businesses, though many of these started to move to other areas such as Freeman's Bay, Newton and Parnell, especially if they took up a large area (such as timber yards) or created noise or pollution (such as brick yards or foundries). Up until
901-608: The City Rail Link . Once completed, it will connect the Waitematā railway station more directly to the Western Line in the vicinity of Maungawhau railway station by way of a tunnel running under the CBD. Two new stations are being constructed, one named Karanga-a-Hape railway station near Karangahape Road and another named Te Waihorotiu railway station near Aotea Square , and the existing stations at each end of
954-618: The Crown and the Church . Soon after signing the treaty, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei made a strategic gift of 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) of land on the Waitematā Harbour to the new Governor of New Zealand, William Hobson , for the new capital , which Hobson named for George Eden, Earl of Auckland , then Viceroy of India . Auckland was founded on 18 September 1840 and was officially declared New Zealand's capital in 1841. The town of Auckland
1007-522: The Waitematā railway station (rail and buses) and the nearby Auckland Ferry Terminal , both near the Auckland waterfront . Many bus services travel the length of the CBD along the main streets, in particular via the bus lanes on Albert Street and the Central Connector bus priority route. In 2010, around 33,000 people entered the CBD via public transport every day. Historically, much of
1060-559: The 1970s. A number of art works are in Aotea Square: 36°51′08″S 174°45′47″E / 36.85222°S 174.76306°E / -36.85222; 174.76306 Auckland CBD The Auckland Central Business District ( CBD ), or Auckland city centre , is the geographical and economic heart of the Auckland metropolitan area . It is the area in which Auckland was established in 1840, by William Hobson on land gifted by mana whenua hapū Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei . It
1113-506: The 1990s, only a token population of around 1,400 was still residing within the CBD, though this was to grow substantially with a boom of new apartment buildings around the turn of the millennium. More recently, in the early 21st century the CBD has seen a resurgence with strong population growth. As at 2010 there were around 24,000 apartment units. The CBD of Auckland has been the leading centre of New Zealand's business and economic development for nearly two centuries. The area of today's CBD
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#17327905343671166-454: The Auckland CBD undertaken in 2005, most visitors and locals feel safe visiting and living in the CBD. Police and the Council have in part ascribed these positive feelings to over a dozen safety initiatives undertaken by authorities (from alcohol bans in parts of the CBD to CCTV surveillance and street lighting measures). However, in spite of the general perception of the CBD being safe, there
1219-673: The Auckland CBD, compared to several central business districts in Australia, had "a broader and more dominant role in its regional economy" compared to the economies of the Australian central business districts. The CBD remains attractive to shops, partially due to the very high pedestrian numbers on the main shopping streets like Queen Street, where footfalls are estimated to be up to 10 times as high as on Broadway in Newmarket , seen as Queen Street's closest rival. Auckland CBD has
1272-522: The CBD is the area in New Zealand with the highest percentage share (32%) of the Asian ethnic group in New Zealand. Also striking is the high number of students (both tertiary education and overseas students studying English in one of the many institutes), making up 27% of all residents (2001 Census) and contributing to the relative youth of the city residents. With increasing population, available services have also changed – from only about one superette in
1325-658: The Elliott Stables Foodcourt. The Victoria Park Market was established as a shopping centre in an unused heritage building in 1983. It was extensively renovated between 2008 and 2013. The centre currently features 74 stores, and 194 carparks. Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki has been operating in Auckland CBD in 1888. Since then, several other galleries have also opened in the CBD. Artspace Aotearoa opened in 1987. Gus Fisher Gallery opened in 2001. St Paul St Gallery opened in 2004. The Dalmatian Archives and Museum, opened in 1989, features
1378-462: The North Shore. Residential numbers in the inner city (including the inner suburbs) were also declining in the 20th century. In the two-mile zone surrounding the CBD, there were approximately 70,000 people in 1926, with only around 50,000 in 1966 – a change made even more marked by the development of the remainder of Auckland's population, which grew more than fourfold in the same timeframe. In
1431-499: The car park repair, $ 25 million for the upgrade, and $ 10 million for works on the Aotea Centre facade. A cost saving of $ 15 million was identified during the process due to a modified construction process for the car park roof, which allowed the project to dispense with building a temporary car park. Aotea Square is often utilised for public events, including fairs, protest rallies, music festivals and rock concerts. Aotea Square
1484-457: The country. Some commentators have noted that the recent decades have not been kind to the aesthetics and the community values of the inner city. The demolishing of many older buildings, often the prerequisite for low-quality or uninspired new office and residential developments, is considered by them to be due to a combination of developers uninterested in long-term outcomes and council planning direction being too weak. In an attempt to reverse
1537-426: The decline of aesthetics in the CBD, previous Auckland City Councils and the current unitary Auckland Council have instigated several urban regeneration schemes. These include the recent redevelopment of Aotea Square in 2010 and the upgrade of Saint Patrick's Square in 2009. The area east of the Waitematā railway station is currently undergoing major changes, with the development of new commercial buildings,
1590-503: The early 2000s, this has ballooned to one supermarket and 38 superettes by 2011. In early 2012, two major supermarket chains opened a branch in the city centre, with Countdown opening on Victoria Street in January and New World opening a branch on Queen Street in early March. However, the population remains highly focused on ethnically diverse, mostly young and childless residents. According to an in-depth study of security perception in
1643-508: The harbour coastline in the north, it is surrounded further out by mostly suburban areas; it is bounded on the North by Waitematā Harbour , east by Parnell , southeast by Grafton , south by Mount Eden , southwest by Newton , west by Freemans Bay and northwest by Viaduct Harbour . Located on the northern shore of a narrow isthmus , the CBD extends from the Auckland waterfront on the Waitematā Harbour southwards along Queen Street and
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1696-596: The history of Croatian New Zealanders . The New Zealand Maritime Museum , opened in 1993, features the maritime history of the Waitematā Harbour . There are significant educational institutions located in the Auckland CBD, notably the University of Auckland and the Auckland University of Technology . The CBD also has many of the English language schools for non-native English speakers which form
1749-410: The largest group at 250, and other groups of note being 150 agricultural labourers, 100 shopkeepers, 100 domestic servants, and 125 "upper class members". During the remainder of the 19th century, Commercial Bay was progressively filled in, allowing a northward extension of Queen Street and the creation of Fort Street, Customs Street , and Quay Street . The part of Queen Street north of Customs Street
1802-436: The link, Waitematā and Maungawhau, are receiving substantial upgrades. The main street of the CBD is Queen Street , which was upgraded between 2006 and 2008 to modernise it and make it more pedestrian friendly. In 2009, the former Auckland City Council proposed the redevelopment of several CBD streets into shared spaces , with the goal of improving pedestrian and cyclist amenity by slowing down vehicle traffic while retaining
1855-483: The middle of the 20th century the centre of town still contained a large number of small factories including clothing manufacturers. The relocation of industries to outlying suburbs became especially pronounced in the 1950s, partly due to incentives made by council planners to create industrial areas in Penrose and Rosebank Road (amongst others) and thus rid the inner city area of noise, pollution and heavy traffic. This
1908-554: The possibility for car access – compared to a pedestrian mall which allows no motor vehicles. Auckland Council is continuing this project. Darby Street, Lorne Street, Fort Street, Jean Batten Place, and Fort Lane have been converted into shared spaces since 2011. The portion of Federal Street between Wellesley Street West and Victoria Street West has also been made shared space. 36°50′49″S 174°45′54″E / 36.847°S 174.765°E / -36.847; 174.765 Auckland City Council Auckland City Council
1961-488: The restoration of several heritage buildings and development of public spaces, including a new public square named Te Komititanga which opened in 2020. The downtown ferry precinct called Te Wanaga opened in 2021. Another major regeneration scheme currently underway is the redevelopment of Wynyard Quarter , which involves replacing industrial facilities covering a large portion of the CBD waterfront with residential or commercial buildings and public spaces. The Auckland CBD
2014-514: The richer people built houses. Shortland Street tended to be the location of the more important businesses and most of the 'luxury' shops of the mid 19th century. The 1850s onwards saw an increasing number of businesses, and especially retail, locating further south along Queen Street , which still to this day forms the 'spine' of the area. In 1841, one year after the European founding, the census counted approximately 2,000 people, with "mechanics"
2067-470: The rioting was influenced by a number of factors, including the large number of intoxicated audience members, youth relief about the end of the Muldoon era, and a confrontational attitude by the police, who allegedly blocked the exits from the concert area, giving the crowd no obvious way to disperse. The riot was the subject of a Commission of Inquiry headed by Peter Mahon . Beginning on 15 October 2011,
2120-409: The square was the site of an Occupy Movement protest. Protesters pitched tents and erected ad hoc shelters and camped on the grassy areas, intending to occupy the site for six weeks until 30 November. In fact, the occupation lasted into January 2012, when Auckland Council served trespass notices and security guards and police jointly removed or arrested the occupiers on 23 January 2012. The occupation
2173-482: The transport to and around the CBD post-1950s was by private vehicles, partly because the CBD provides numerous parking buildings and parking spaces associated with office buildings, and is almost totally surrounded (and easily accessible) by motorways, administered by Waka Kotahi . Auckland Council , the New Zealand Government, Auckland Transport and KiwiRail have begun the construction phase of
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2226-428: Was NZ$ 40.3 million. In 2002 then mayor John Banks announced plans to sell 1570 of its 1700 pensioner flats. A coalition called Council Housing Action Group (CHAG) fought the privatisation. Initially Banks sought to sell the flats on the private market, and the coalition protests included disrupting private auctions. While the coalition was unable to prevent the sell-off, they achieved a substantial "compromise" where
2279-404: Was a feeling that crime had risen somewhat in the last five years (whereas in fact numbers had declined). This was considered to be mostly due to a media-driven public image. With 8,500 businesses, the CBD accounts for 18% of all businesses in Auckland City, with the largest being Ports of Auckland , and the largest employment sectors being financial services, business and ICT services. The CBD
2332-555: Was chaired by the Mayor of Auckland City . The councillors and the mayor of Auckland City were elected every three years. In the 2007 elections, the voter turnout was 39.4%, down from 48% in 2004 and 43% in 2001. Amongst its other functions, the city council administered more than 700 parks and reserves throughout the country (2008 data). It also had, amongst other things, 2214 km of footpaths, though these were often in bad condition (30% being rated as "poor" or "very poor" quality),
2385-498: Was created in 1840 with the first European colonisation of the area, marked by an official ceremony on the now non-existent Point Britomart . The initial centre of the new town was focused on what is now the corner of Shortland and Queen Street, which was at the shoreline of Commercial Bay. From approximately their junction, the main wharf ran north off the end of Queen Street, with Shortland Street leading up to St Paul's Church , Fort Britomart and Government House, around which many of
2438-721: Was formerly headquartered in Auckland CBD. In 2006, from late September to early October, the airline moved employees out of the four buildings it occupied in Auckland CBD and relocated them to the new headquarters in the Wynyard Quarter . In September 2003 Air New Zealand was the only one of the very largest corporations in New Zealand to have its headquarters within the Auckland CBD. The CBD's main shopping mall, Commercial Bay , opened in 2020. It features 18,000 m of lettable real estate space, made up of 120 shops including H&M . The Atrium on Elliott has 736 carparks and 23 stores, including The Warehouse , Rebel Sport and
2491-491: Was later accused of having incited a riot by declaring "I wish those riot squad guys would stop wanking and put their little batons away", followed by an announcement by Triple M , the radio station promoting the concert, that the performance would be stopped on the request of the police. This caused a riot amongst parts of the audience, who moved into Queen Street, smashing shop windows and overturning cars, causing over NZ$ 1 million in reported damage. Others present noted that
2544-444: Was mirrored by the development of suburban shopping malls which enticed retailers to vacate the inner city as well. Attempts by the council to halt this pattern by constructing numerous public car parking buildings met with varying success. The rise of suburban supermarket and mall shopping that was created in places such as Pakuranga from 1965 onwards has been added to by the appearance of Big Box retailers in places such as Botany and
2597-461: Was originally built in 1843, St Stephen's Anglican Chapel was originally built in 1844, St Andrew's First Presbyterian Church was built in 1850, Auckland Baptist Tabernacle , founded 1855 and St Matthew's Anglican Church was founded in 1902. The CBD, with its substantial employment, and increasing number of residents, contains the main public transport hubs of the city, administered by Auckland Transport . These services are concentrated around
2650-603: Was over by the end of January, with a total of 30 arrests. The Edwardian Auckland Town Hall is at the Queen Street entrance to the square. It has a main concert chamber with excellent acoustics, and was extensively restored and upgraded in 1994. To the south of the square are the Administration block of the Auckland City Council and the entry to Myers Park . On the western side of the square
2703-412: Was site of a major civil disturbance on 7 December 1984, during a free end-of-academic year rock concert given by bands including Herbs and DD Smash . A power cut interrupted the concert for a time, and some of the concert-goers began throwing bottles at police in attendance, who called up additional forces in riot gear but at first did not intervene further. Dave Dobbyn , DD Smash's lead singer,
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#17327905343672756-527: Was the local government authority for Auckland City , New Zealand, from 1871 to 1 November 2010, when it and Auckland's six other city and district councils were amalgamated to form the Auckland Council . It was an elected body representing the 404,658 residents (2006 census) of the city, which included some of the Hauraki Gulf islands, such as Waiheke Island and Great Barrier Island . It
2809-409: Was the site of the original European settlement of Auckland, oriented along the coastline and then Queen Street, in a southward direction. From those origins, it has grown progressively, and become much more densely built-up, now being an area of high-rise buildings mainly used for commercial and retail uses. It has the highest concentration of arts, culture and higher education institutions and venues in
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