Andrew's Ave
Take A Seat
This project's aim was to transform Andrews Ave Located in the heart of Lower Hutt city. Making the space for the community and where people can gather and feel safe. Hosting events where local cafes and restaurants are able to occupy the space and put on their own communal dining events for the public. During the days that there are no events the space can be used as a chill-out area where people can eat their lunch and take part in other fun activities.
View of the table during a dining event. The table provides local businesses with the opportunity to host local community dinners. These events encourage the community to come together and share a meal while also supporting local businesses.
When thinking about the factors of the site and what plays a big part in what makes the space usable, there are many that make the site not as appealing to be in. The space is very much a wind tunnel from the river through to the site, so we have created a shelter from the wind and also shade from the sun. Due to the minimal sitting options, many people do not occupy the space to sit, so we have created more areas for people to gather and sit and eat their lunch. Creating the space to be more appealing for people to occupy and use as the city changes over the next couple of years will help the community have a sense of belonging, while also giving local businesses room to thrive in the ever-changing city.
View of space being used during the day
View of space being used at night in the rain
The Fence: can temporarily open up and the modular table separates to enable containers to be inserted within the space, allowing for a variety of events to take place within Andrews Ave.
Storage in the space for equipment not being used
Birds eye view of Andrews Ave
The Table: Using inspiration from a river's natural form, this modular table allows flexibility and brings a sense of community to the city. Two different table heights were designed, one able to be placed on the angled hill and one that sits horizontally to the ground. Using its light materials, the different modules can be easily moved around the space to suit the event.
The Fence: New fence framing is designed to slot over the existing bollards that line the area. The PVC framing is custom designed to perfectly allow the fence polls to house the bollards and be fixed to the ground. The fencing provides a division between the users of the space and the cars on the road.
The Shelter: All shelters included in this design use a custom clamping attachment which allows the leaf-shaped acrylic shelter to be attached to existing lampposts on Andrews Ave. The shelter is bolted to and supported by four curved metal poles that evenly distribute the weight and are clamped together safely, securing it to the posts. These shelters provide relief from the sun in summer and the rain in the winter.
