Imperial Park is an 85 unit light-industrial development located in place of the old Tobacco Factory, in Petone. The original brief was to design the maximum amount of light-industrial units with individual vehicle accesses. As part of our response, we proposed multiple building blocks punctuated by areas of vegetation cover and shared spaces for pedestrians and community activities.

This communal spaces are primarily materialised as a green boulevard that runs east-west across the site. Perpendicular to the industrial blocks, the pedestrian and cycling friendly route proposes a new link between the industrial Bouverie Street and the residential Richmond Street. It aims to foster a new sense of community based around the footpath, cycleway, rain gardens and water filling station.

The light-industrial units stretch across six blocks on a north-south axis that maximise a long street façade to Bouverie Street. The buildings respond to the need of fast, pre-fabricated construction methods while finding new dialogues with the surrounding landscape. These dialogues are explored with varying roof pitches and colours, producing a dynamic new urban landscape and a friendly scale linking the residential area to the mega store sprawl. A horizontal layering of materials furthers the anchoring of the new development both on the residential side and on the commercial side.

While the units opening onto the internal streets of the complex are adapted to light industrial activities, the Bouverie Street façade units also caters for retail and hospitality activities. This mixed-use typology also extends inwards, along the green boulevard, bringing different people and uses to the complex. A combination of lower eaves and active façades guarantees a communal and inviting space open to the city. Units have been bought by commercial ventures, artists, makers, small businesses along with people simply looking for storage.

Aerial footage by Jack Scott

Photography by Russel Kleyn

Location:

Petone

Date:

Construction 2022

Program:

Industrial Park