Pukenamu Queen’s Park landscape project

• Project typeLandscape architectural plan and implementation
• Contractor nameWarren and Mahoney Architects

In March 2023, Warren and Mahoney Architects’ landscape team began a co-design process to produce a landscape architectural plan for Pukenamu Queen’s Park, one of Whanganui’s premier parks. 
 
This landscape plan is identified through Whanganui District Council’s Pukenamu Queen’s Park Reserve Management Plan – its development is being co-ordinated with the current redevelopment of the Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui. Objectives for the landscape plan identified in the reserve management plan include: 

• expressing the “Pukenamu Story” – telling stories about its place in the landscape and raising awareness of the importance of the reserve to Whanganui’s history 

• revitalising the reserve by providing more activities, and by making the area more pedestrian and family-friendly. 

We have taken our lead for the concept from the Rōpū Kaitiaki, who are a intergral part of the Sarjeant Gallery redevelopment project. The Rōpū-appointed Kahui Toi team have delivered a cultural expression design piece that has been built into the façade of the new wing, mahau and so on.

The Rōpū Kaitiaki are the group that represents Whanganui Iwi for the Sarjeant Gallery redevelopment and have led the kaupapa for the cultural narrative for the landscape plans for this significant site. 

The co-design process is visualised below:

For this first phase, the objectives have been to: 

• set the spatial elements of the landscape design considering function, access and cultural expression 

• set priorities for staging of the design and build 

• discuss critical traffic movements and car parking opportunities, provisions and placement.

Concept design – stage 1

The first stage of the concept began with a site visit from Warren and Mahoney on 28 March 2023 that included a series of meetings with park stakeholders to gain an understanding of their aspirations and concerns.

This was followed by the development of a spatial strategy informed by earlier co-design work and stakeholder feedback. Following review of the spatial strategy with Rōpū in early June, Warren and Mahoney developed the first draft of a concept plan. Towards the end of June, the team again met with Rōpū and stakeholders to present the draft concept and seek feedback. There was a relatively strong focus during this workshop on car parking from both a positioning and provision perspective.

From this workshop feedback, recommendations were taken and the concept adjusted where possible to reflect these. A staged approach to the wider landscaping was discussed with the primary focus on stage 1 – the arrival area and entrance through to the gallery (please see below).

A further stakeholder workshop was held on 6 July, where Michael Hawes from Warren and Mahoney presented an updated design that reflected the earlier feedback. Several layout options were provided for discussion. There was again a relatively strong focus on traffic movement and car parking, with some progress and agreement made regarding parking options alongside the Davis Library.
 
These options needed to be tested against how they could work spatially alongside Iwi expectations for cultural expression and the ceremonial aspects that will require the use of the entrance area to the gallery. 

This was progressed through two site workshops with Rōpū in mid- and late-July to test and confirm the layout around the gallery and to ensure we are interpreting and reflecting the cultural expression accurately. During these workshops some refinements were made to better accommodate ceremonial processes, existing trees and site levels while retaining the overall concept of the draft plan and earlier co-design work. 

In parallel, the design team has been finalising the concept design report, taking on-board comments received for the wider park to further define proposed pedestrian and vehicle flow, parking, and key spaces across the park that will enable the plan to deliver on the identified key objectives.

Project status as of September 2023

The primary focus through the workshops has been on the immediate surrounds of the gallery – this is now referred to as stage 1. This phase is proceeding through preliminary design to test technical considerations – it will then move to the next phase in the co-design process, which is to develop a detailed design. 

Stakeholder engagement meetings are planned for October. Alongside these meetings, there may be a need to have smaller-group teams meetings where stakeholder requirements are quite specific to a particular group and need more discussion. 

Our stakeholders include our Iwi partners, and representatives from services that are either situated within the reserve or have a strong association with Pukenamu Queen's Park. The landscape team will continue to meet with the Rōpū Kaitiaki at regular intervals during the ongoing design process, and there will be regular updates with the gallery redevelopment project team. 

The current timeline aims to have the detailed design and quantity surveyor work for stage 1 completed in the first week of November 2023 to allow this stage to be delivered in conjunction with the redeveloped gallery. 

In order to ensure we are focused on getting the immediate surrounds of the gallery as complete as possible ahead of the opening, and to manage project design and implementation costs, a decision has been made to deliver stage 1 in line with the opening of the gallery and pause stage 2. 

The subsequent phases of stage 2 will be delivered as funding allows. Please see the proposed staging below. Stage 1 includes 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d – all other references will be considered as part of stage 2.

Location

Pukenamu Drive, Whanganui 4500  View Map

-39.9315274,175.0537241

Pukenamu Drive , Whanganui 4500

Pukenamu Drive , Whanganui 4500

Pukenamu Queen’s Park landscape project