Panuku has just announced that they will be partnering with international property developers Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) to deliver retail, offices and housing above the forthcoming City Rail Link (CRL) hub Aotea Station on the corner of Wellesley Street and Mayoral Drive.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says that international company MRCB “has experience in developing integrated commercial and residential properties around transportation hubs and a good reputation for the design and quality of its developments”. The building concept has been completed by global architecture firm Woods Bagot, who has recently relocated their New Zealand office to Auckland.

Woods Bagot says that Auckland needs active destinations in order to evolve into a vibrant metropolis. “The diverse mix of activity, whose scale and complexity are unprecedented in New Zealand, will be associated with the chemistry and highly-charged energy that makes a place great,” says principal Bruno Mendes.

Renders reveal a stepped roof design – to ensure sunlight requirements in nearby Aotea Square are met – topped with terraced foliage. The architects note that ground-level design moves of the development include a landscaped lane between this site and its neighbour Bledisloe house and a ‘civic-incubator space’, which can be flexibly used for community needs. “The host of programs in this pedestrian-friendly public realm – with recreation, retail, offices and residential spaces – will optimise the flow of people, culture and commerce to generate vibrancy at street level,” Mendes says.

MRCB International chief executive officer Ravi Krishnan says the company is proud of its decision to use the ground plane for innovation in the public realm. He says, “The striking design of our site complements and reinforces the importance of Aotea Quarter as the cultural heart of Auckland.”

Panuku sold the site, which was formerly a car park, for $40 million and has an estimated gross development value (GDV) of $452 million. It will now house 21 storeys including ground floor retail, nine levels of commercial workspaces and more than 60 residential dwellings. Panuku says that MRCB has a proven track record of creating internationally acclaimed, transport-oriented developments. They will be partnering with local firm RCP for this project, which has been provisionally dubbed Aotea Central.

David Rankin, Chief Executive of Panuku, says, “On behalf of Auckland Council, we sought a particular type of development partner which would understand the rare opportunity to contribute to the regeneration of this unique mid-town location. MRCB has a long history of quality transport-oriented developments in Malaysia and is committed to transforming the Mayoral Drive site to appeal to those wanting vibrant inner-city living and a low carbon lifestyle right here in the centre of Auckland.”

Construction of Aotea Central is due to start after the completion of the City Rail Link Aotea Station and is due for completion in 2024. The full Aotea Quarter Framework Plan can be found here.