Lorne Street

The Lorne Street project was a collaboration between the Tāmaki Makaurau Design Ope (TMDO) and the Central Library in 2021, to improve the pedestrian amenity and safety of the shared space in front of the library building. The library was interested in using its environment more effectively by having its activity spill out into the street. This project sought to enable this aspiration.

The project was also a response to the change in street layout brought about by the St James construction hoardings which blocked off the pedestrian-only zone of the shared space. 

The project proposed a simple traffic-calming and placemaking solution.

A new furniture zone, defined by red artificial turf and populated with benches and planters, narrowed the existing traffic lane and created a chicane route through the shared space. This was designed to encourage slower speeds resulting in greater pedestrian safety.

A new pedestrian-only zone was created, off-set from the original, between the new furniture zone and the hoarding. This provided a safe pedestrian route through the street.

A series of cor-ten steel and concrete planters were selected to reference building details and colours of the St James Theatre while providing greenery to the street. The red turf adds a playful pop of colour.

The Wellesley Street exit was blocked off by a bollard and clusters of planters on red turf triangles. Traffic accessing the ASB car park had to enter and exit the street via Rutland Street. This new two-way traffic flow requires vehicles to negotiate the street cautiously, giving way to pedestrians and on-coming traffic.

A motorcycle parking zone was added to the southern end of the street.