Tank Park

The design of Tank Park strongly reflects the waterfront’s heritage, acknowledging the context of the site within the Waitematā and retaining elements of the space’s industrial history as support to Wynyard Quarter’s waterfront identity.

Incorporated amongst areas to play and native plantings, are nine of the stainless steel silos and the existing exchanger (valve) pit with a transparent cover to reveal its inner workings.

Mana whenua identity is also strongly reflected throughout the space’s design with the key feature being a waka-inspired pavilion called Te Nukuao designed by artist Tessa Harris, which will provide shelter from the elements; and the area’s surface design being curated by Reuben Kirkwood – both artists are of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki. 

Tessa’s mahi, Te Nukuao explores the narrative, form, and symbolic presence of waka hourua sails as a design driver and reference to the history of Wynyard Quarter as a 'water space' pre-reclamation. The waka-inspired shade structure serves as a cultural marker for mana whenua within the Silo Park extension and offers shelter from the elements.

Reuben’s mahi was led by the whakatauākī ‘Nga waka o Taikehu, me he kāhui kātaha kapi tai’- ‘The Canoes of Taikehu, like unto a shoal of herrings filling the sea’. This whakatauākī likens the once numerous waka on the Waitematā to a great shoal of fish. From this, the te waka o rangi whetū design has been developed for Silo Park extension in the form of the stars used to guide the waka hourua at sea.