Te Rimutahi

A new civic landscape in the heart of Ponsonby, transforming a former commercial site into a place for gathering, connection and everyday life.

At the centre of the project is a generous public space shaped around the existing structures of the site. A former retail canopy has been retained and reimagined as a sheltered civic space, while gardens, trees and open areas create a sequence of spaces for sitting, meeting, events and informal use.

The landscape draws on the cultural history of the Ponsonby ridgeline, developed in collaboration with mana whenua. The name Te Rimutahi, gifted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, recalls the lone rimu that once stood at the intersection of Ponsonby and Karangahape Roads. Native planting and new trees bring a stronger sense of landscape to the urban setting, while improving biodiversity and reducing the site's reliance on hard surfaces.

Its combination of open space, planting and retained structures gives Ponsonby a new place to gather, connect and spend time within the city.