A collaboration between Megan Wraight and John Hardwick Smith of Wraight and Athfield Landscape and Architecture, has seen them complete the latest contribution to Wellington’s forward thinking public spaces, the Pukeahu .

It has been years in the making, but from winning the contract in a competition, to now with completion, we are all able to enjoy Wellington’s newest public space.

In this interview Megan and John talk about the history, the challenges and the vision behind the design of the park.

Photos of the Team (left to right – Jeremy Perrot, Phil Marks, John Hardwick-Smith, Nicole Thompson, Megan Wraight.

The Landscape Architectural and Architectural Design Team for Memorial Park has been led by Megan Wraight and John Hardwick-Smith of Wraight Athfield Landscape and Architecture (WALA).  WALA is a joint venture company between Athfield Architects and Wraight and Associates.  The Design Team also included Nicole Thompson; Jeremy Perrot; Phil Mark; Matt Pepper; Nick Griffin; Felix Smith; Andre Bishop; John McIntyre and Jess Ferris.

Photos by Neil Pardington (Neil has also been the signage designer for the park and tunnel)

http://www.mch.govt.nz/pukeahu/park/redevelopment

BY THE NUMBERS- thanks to Stuff NZ

775,000 work hours

35,000 square metres of soil removed

21,000 square metres of park

17,000 perennial plants

6500 square meters of pathway

4500 square metres of granite paving

3850 square metres of grass

3000 square metres of garden

2700 truck and trailer loads of soil carted away

1820 tonnes of concrete

1800 workers spent time on site

1000 square-metre ceremonial plaza in front of the war memorial

300 metre-long Arras Tunnel underneath

220 workers on site at the peak of construction

165 trees of six different types

120 million to build the park and tunnel underneath

75 olive trees

46 bollards to restrict car movements

35 seats made of Eucalyptus Saligna timber

30 months to build the tunnel and park

32 pohutakawa trees

25 kowhai trees

18 eucalyptus trees

10 titoki trees

5 northern rata trees

1 Tomb of the Unknown Warrior