How might we activate city squares in Tāmaki Makaurau daily, to enhance social cohesion between CBD residential communities and visitors and foster deeper connection and reconnection to place?

Public squares are the heart of any city. It is our common ground - the spaces where people come together as friends, neighbours and citizens. In Tāmaki Makaurau, our squares are filled with dazzling events, courageous protests, captivating art, and performance installations, but on a regular day, our CBD squares are simply passages linking us from one place to another. We often travel through them, commuting to work or uni, going to the mall or supermarket, or catching public transport. But outside of events, it's harder to feel a sense of community connection or even a desire to be in these spaces. This project critically investigates how playful and adaptive placemaking can aid in the activation of Aotea Square on a day-to-day basis to enhance social cohesion and reconnection to place, for residential communities and wider Auckland visitors. Through the use of semi-permanent interventions, including playful seating, reconnection light paths, game spaces, and dining spots, this project aims to transform Aotea Square from a transient space into a vibrant, welcoming environment that fosters spontaneous social interactions and deeper engagement with the city. By incorporating elements that encourage exploration, lingering, and playful interaction, these semi-permanent interventions will cater to diverse groups and create opportunities for people to pause, connect, and experience the square as a true community space. This approach will also explore how cultural, historical, and ecological aspects can be woven into the fabric of the square, creating a unique sense of place that resonates with both Auckland’s identity and its communities; this project aims to transform Aotea Square from a transient space into a vibrant, welcoming environment that fosters spontaneous social interactions and deeper engagement with the city. By incorporating elements that encourage exploration, lingering, and playful interaction, these semi-permanent interventions will cater to diverse groups and create opportunities for people to pause, connect, and experience the square as a true community space. This approach also explores how cultural, historical, and ecological aspects can be woven into the fabric of the square, creating a unique sense of place that reflects both Tāmaki Makaurau's identity and its diversity.

These pop-up restaurants with tables and chairs are reminiscent of ‘alfresco dining’ in Europe. They are positioned along the passageways through the square and are designed to encourage people to linger in the square, whether that is to sit, eat, play, skate or connect with others. The seating and dining areas are accompanied by pop-up play spaces highlighted in yellow. These spaces are open to the public to use how they wish, and for placemaking collectives such as The Open Fort and council placemaking at Eke Panuku to activate these spaces.  I explored the idea of doing a monthly rotation where local cafes, restaurants and food places could have the opportunity to sell their food and drink on a smaller scale to support local business growth and consumer awareness. 

The Reconnection Light Paths are interactive light sculptures and projections that aim to reflect the cultural and ecological history of the square, the present use of the square for protests, gatherings and cultural events and the future as expressed through Auckland City Plans for Midtown. In Bledisloe Lane, which connects almost directly to the new Wai Horotiu Station, I  have placed interactive, musical light sculptures that reflect the history and culture of the Wai Horotiu stream. The music will be informed by cultural songs, stream sounds, and sounds of cooking, cleaning, bathing and growing food, which is how the stream supported and was used by mana whenua. Additionally, down the lane parallel to the town hall, the interactive, musical light sculptures and light projections will reflect the musical and performative history of the town hall. 

Along the Queens Street and Town Hall sides of Aotea Square, the sculptures will reflect musical and performance history and the history of protests and gatherings in the square. These interactive light and musical-based sculptures aim to increase feelings of safety and allow people to engage in small moments of play where they can also learn about the history of the city they are visiting or live in and feel more connected to the place.

In addition to the ‘traditional seating’, I have incorporated playful seating and table hybrids that are shaped organically but fit together in multiple ways like a puzzle piece. Visitors can adjust the seats and move them around to suit their needs.