With the number of New Zealanders battling with homelessness at an all-time high, the Auckland City Mission is in the process of redeveloping its central city premises to better serve our most vulnerable people.
The Mission is undertaking a landmark project to create what will be an iconic, multi-purpose facility that provides essential wrap-around health services, detox facilities and homeless residential accommodation for 80 people. This supportive housing model aspires to facilitate a successful transition into independent accommodation and supports the City Mission’s vision for sustained social change.
White Associates Director Konrad Trankels says that everyone in the White Associates team admires the approach being taken.
“The Auckland City Mission provides so many critical services to the wider Auckland community,” he says. “With the number of people streaming through the Auckland City Mission’s doors at 140 Hobson Street stretching the charity to its limits, it is really special to be part of what is a once-in-a-lifetime project.”
Auckland City Mission Chief Executive Chris Farrelly says that a great deal of thought, care and consultation is going into creating the new facility.
“It is going to provide high quality spaces within a homely and nurturing environment for generations to come. At the same time, the intelligent and sustainable design we have gone for has a distinctly New Zealand flavour and is going to really complement the CBD surroundings while reflecting the Mission’s values,” he explains.
“We have gone to great lengths to create a design which will meet our needs in years to come, recognises our city’s Maori and Pacific peoples, and integrates with our surroundings and local community.”
In conjunction with the project architects Stevens Lawson Architects, the Mission has been working in consultation with Ngāti Whātua to encompass Maori design principles to create a place of belonging and identity. There will be an overarching theme of ‘helping people to find their way home’ which marries with the Mission’s overriding purpose. This will be expressed through the building’s gabled roof which will evoke the image of a large house – a home for Auckland’s homeless people.
Given the Mission’s proximity to the historic St Matthew-In-The-City church and its relationship to the heritage Prince of Wales Hotel building, the facility has been carefully designed to fit its surroundings and support the community. The creation of community spaces, a medical centre, a pharmacy, a café, a group of small retail spaces on Federal Street and a rooftop meeting/conference room have all been designed to integrate with the fabric of the city.
Construction is due to begin in the new year and is being overseen by project management group Xigo. Project completion expected in 2020 – which will also mark the Mission’s 100 year anniversary.
We look forward to bringing you updates on this remarkable development over the next few years.