Check out the plan
The Plan
This section includes information about the overall plan, and timing of projects and which roads will be closed to traffic over the coming months.
The design
From the urban designers
The redesign of George Street has been a long time in the making and has been accelerated by the need to upgrade aging infrastructure as well as aiming to reinvigorate the city centre for residents and businesses. The design looks to compliment the aspiration of the central city plan, to make Dunedin 'one of the world’s great small cities'.
The George Street project aspires to re-think how to move through, and around the city centre safely and comfortably. The wider opportunity for central Dunedin is to provide a main street that re-engages with the natural beauty of the region and reflects the strong sense of place. It also provides a central destination that people want to spend time in and is lively, active and a prosperous place to do business.
Considerable effort has gone into defining the identity of the city and converting it into the streetscape. Interwoven throughout the design is a strong presence of Kāi tahu and recognition of mana whenua. Values are imbued at the macro and the micro scales. For example, the individual paving units are bespoke and their shape is based on the very definition of Ōtepoti itself with the larger paving setout referencing the traditional patterns on the windows of Ōtākau marae.
The colour pallete acknowledges mahika kai species and the proposed catenary lighting is a metaphoric barracuda darting across the street. The proposed design reflects the whakapapa of place. George Street has a rich colonial heritage which is represented today with many beautiful facades that line the street. This design seeks to showcase and enhance the richness of the beautiful heritage assets by allowing the public to explore the street out beyond the awnings where a better view is enabled as well as framing particular views and selecting locations for trees that compliment the architectural facades.
The three key themes were during the Preliminary Design phase of this project. They aim to consolidate the Kāi Tahu values, the George Street Principles and the Project Objectives within the design. They provide a way to focus design energy on the things that matter most for the street.
Kaitiakitaka
A living street
A living street will be full of life and connected with natural systems such as water and the forest ecology that exists in the nearby greenbelt. It will be beautiful so that everyone enjoys its appearance and cares for it.
Whakapapa
An authentic street
Dunedin is unique. Its city centre streets should provide an authentic experience that represents the city’s rich heritage and community of people that are creative, diverse and resilient. People of all ages, abilities and backgrounds will experience a street network that is safe, inclusive and vibrant and reflects their values
Manaakitaka
A connected street
Streets are for everyone, where public life plays out and reflects the personality of the city and its inhabitants. It’s where we receive our guests and citizens, making them feel welcome and respected through the provision of a public realm that is safe and accessible.
Read more about the design in the full developed design report.
