The new Car Handling Facility was designed with a simple vision in mind: to create a functional piece of architecture to maximise efficiencies for port operations whilst also providing a structure that would stand the test of time and illicit a positive response from the public.
The result is a building which greatly improves car capacity and movement at the port and takes the form of an urban art canvas, set to be home to large scale art installations for years to come. The development NLA is 35000 sqm and the 5-storey facility comes to a height of 17.9 metres. Plus sought to deliver a structure which celebrates the port and provides a bridge between the high-rise structures of the CBD and the low-rise industrial structures of the port.
Ports of Auckland forms the backbone of freight logistics and transport not just for New Zealand’s largest city but also for most of the Upper North Island. The new structure is more than just a transport facility, it serves as a catalyst for better public engagement in this area of Auckland’s waterfront and future proofs the development as both the city and waterfront evolve over the next 30 years.
Plus were engaged to provide full architectural services for this unique project – the first of its kind for both Plus Architecture in New Zealand and Ports of Auckland. Commencing in 2018, the project reached completion at the end of 2020. The structure was opened to the public to great fanfare with the unveiling of ‘The Lightship’, the 110-metre-long digital light wall which wraps around the western and southern walls of the Car Handling Facility and serves as the newest site for large-scale contemporary art display in Auckland.
The Brief
The client required a new vertical storage building to house new and used cars imported into New Zealand before they are sent to the dealerships. The new facility had to allow for quick offloading from the ships of 200 cars per hour.
When initially engaged for the project, Plus produced many feasibility studies to assist the client with understanding building location optimisation, access and circulation efficiencies and capacity options. The key driver for the design was maximising car capacity with the quickest and shortest access and circulation routes.
Key challenges and solutions
From the get-go, the entire project was a lesson in problem solving. A key impetus behind the new Car Handling Facility was to free up valuable space from cars on the waterfront and improve the aesthetics of the industrial area. A storage solution which was both functional and aesthetically pleasing whereby the cars could be stacked vertically, whilst also protected from the elements, was a significant improvement for the port.
Located on the waterfront edge and subject to the harsh marine environment, all materials used in the design of the facility had to be resilient and long-lasting. Plus worked closely with Thermosash, a proudly New Zealand based building solutions company, to develop a façade solution that was durable and met all the required specifications for the structure’s unique location.
A major consideration for the project was the issue of ventilation. Given the significant build-up of carbon dioxide from the cars inside, substantial ventilation was imperative. As a more cost-effective solution to mechanical ventilation, natural ventilation measures were used instead. This resulted in the façade being 50% permeable.
Who are the clients?
Plus were awarded the project due to an existing relationship with shipping line Wallenius Wilhelmsen and a previous successful project delivering of the Webb Dock West RoRo Terminal in Port Melbourne. The Car Handling Facility is the first project to be delivered as part of the Ports of Auckland’s 30-year plan. The port’s proposal for the future seeks to provide new buildings to improve the existing port as well as provide a better connection between the port and the city overall.
How is the project unique?
The design team envisioned the façade of the Car Handling Facility as a blank canvas to be painted by nature and local and international contributors. The result is a unique, statement building which is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, giving back to the Auckland waterfront. The clever design of the facility delivers a compact building, increasing car capacity, reducing the amount of space taken up by imported vehicles on the harbour by stacking the vehicles vertically.
As well as creating a platform to celebrate local artists and the creative community, the facility features the world’s largest soil-based vertical garden on its southern wall. The hanging gardens feature over 3,800 plants (including 30 different species, of which 75% are New Zealand natives). The gardens were designed by New Zealand company Hanging Gardens and everything in the design can either be reused or recycled. The plants are watered using a sensor-controlled irrigation system which is built into the structure.
The Car Handling Facility features motion sensor lights throughout and has electrical capacity built in for the charging of EV vehicles. Taking into consideration future development, the structure was designed to allow for future roof development of small buildings and a rooftop park.
Photography - Simon Devitt