Apartment Building Design Whare Whaitua Noho

1. Introduction 2. Site Design 3. Placing the Building 4. Street to Front Door 5. Outdoor Spaces 6. Accommodating Cars 7. The Building

Vehicle access Print


​​​​​Desi​gn Checklist​

  1. The location and design of the site access enhances the apartment development, integrates with the desired character of the street and is convenient, safe and pedestrian and cycle-friendly​​​​​

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The loca​tion, type and design of vehicle access points to a development will have a significant impact on the streetscape, site layout and the building facade design. 

​Vehicle access should be integrated with site planning early in the design process to avoid conflicts with streetscape requirements and traffic patterns, and to minimise potential conflicts between pedestrians, cars and cyclists.

Vehicle access must address vehicles of all types, including cars, service, and emergency vehicles.

Solutions that include ‘shared surface’ approaches may be appropriate to improve amenity value, pedestrian priority and efficiency of space.

Better Design Practice

Increase pedestrian safety and convenience by:​
  • ​minimising the width and number of vehicle access points​
  • ensuring clear sight lines at pedestrian and vehicle crossings​
  • separating and clearly distinguishing pedestrian and vehicular access ways​​​
  • using traffic calming devices

Improve the appearance of car parking and service vehicle entries by:​
  • ​visually screening rubbish collection areas and loading and servicing areas from the street
  • recessing car park entries from the main facade line
  • avoiding ‘black holes’ in the facade by providing security doors to car park entries; car park doors are an important part of the façade and, if visible, should be integrated into the overall design, use high quality materials and finishes and make a positive contribution to the overall design of the building
  • where doors are not provided, ensuring that the visible interior of the car park is incorporated into the façade design, and that the visual impact of building services (i.e. pipes and ducts) are considered​
  • considering the visual impact of the car park entry recess when viewed from the street; the design of the entry can be improved through the use of landscaping and screening

On narrow sites or frontages, the accessway itself will form a significant part of the landscaping at the street edge.

The design should use a range of high quality, low maintenance materials that integrate with the design of the street and the overall landscape plan for the development.

Where a ‘shared space’ accessway is proposed (i.e. the driveway is shared by pedestrians and cars), pedestrian safety and amenity should take priority over cars. 

The space should read as a place for people first, and cars second. This can be acheived by:
  • ​providing a range of high quality, low maintenance materials
  • using landscaping and surface treatment to reduce car speeds​
  • avoiding speed bumps and using other measures such as changes of direction, cobbles, rumble strips or raised speed tables to keep speed low.

Rules of Thumb

Locate vehicle entries away from main pedestrian entries and on secondary frontages.

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