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| Home > Development > Waitangi > Overseas Passenger Terminal |
| Overseas Passenger Terminal and Clyde Quay Wharf |
The Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT) on Clyde Quay Wharf occupies a prominent site on Wellington’s waterfront. Adjacent to Chaffers Marina, it enjoys uninterrupted city and harbour views, and is a well-known Wellington landmark. Close by are Oriental Bay, Te Papa Tongarewa - Museum of New Zealand, Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club and Clyde Quay Boat Harbour and the Courtenay Place entertainment precinct. Wellington’s central business district is also only an easy 10-minute walk away. Turning Cinderella Into A Princess
A proposal from Wellington firm Willis Bond and Company Ltd to redevelop the OPT was accepted by the Wellington City Council on 26 June 2007. This will see the future of this landmark building secured. Background
The original concrete wharf of Clyde Quay was finished in 1910, and extended and widened in 1964 to enable the construction of the OPT.
The Overseas Passenger Terminal However, as air travel rapidly took over the international travel market, the new building’s purpose as a terminal for overseas visitors and migrants was never fully realised.
Over the years the OPT has been used variously as a function centre, office space, for restaurants and businesses serving the adjacent Chaffers Marina.
The Overseas Passenger Terminal in 2006 With eventual redevelopment always in mind, the wharf and building have only ever had routine maintenance carried out and age and the harsh marine environment have taken their toll. The Wellington Waterfront Framework acknowledged the heritage values of the OPT and required that it be retained and developed. In 2004, a Design Brief was prepared by the Wellington City Council’s Technical Advisory Group to develop the OPT and wharf. The Brief was presented to and approved by the City Council’s Waterfront Development Sub-committee in May 2004 and Wellington Waterfront Ltd (WWL) was given the go-ahead to seek development proposals. A great deal of interest in the development opportunity was shown from developers and investors within New Zealand and overseas. Following a rigorous evaluation process, involving WWL and the Council’s Technical Advisory Group, the Willis Bond proposal designed by Athfield Architects Ltd was selected. It was considered to have best met the Design Brief and also offered a return that WWL could reinvest in waterfront public space. A structural upgrade has become urgent
The original concrete wharf structure under the building footprint is now almost 100 years old and is in a parlous state.
Exposed concrete pile reinforcing
Deterioration of roofing struts Tests also indicate that a number of the piles were not originally installed deeply enough and are under-strength. The timber wharf extensions and piles, built in the 1960s prior to construction of the terminal building, are getting narrower in parts due to tidal erosion. A small number of piles are completely rotten and require replacement. Some connecting bolts are severely rusted and also require replacement. Seismic assessment of the existing structures has determined that under the terms of the Building Act 2004, the site can almost be described as Earthquake Prone. The seismic code requirements that come into effect in late 2006 mean significant upgrading must occur to ensure compliance. The existing building above the wharf is also in need of repair with parts of the structure – including the roof – in a poor state. The Willis Bond proposal
The development proposal from Wellington’s Willis Bond and Company Ltd and its designers, Athfield Architects Ltd, features a design that carefully refurbishes and extends the existing wharf and terminal structures. Building as much as possible upon the existing fabric, the proposal provides a range of new indoor and outdoor spaces to allow viable and sustainable uses that support or complement public use of the wharf and promenade, revitalising an area that has never reached its full potential. The focus has been to develop a contemporary and adaptable architectural framework that respects the OPT’s former use as a terminal building while providing for apartments on upper levels and a range of single and double height tenancies on the ground that service and complement public use and enjoyment of the whole Waitangi Precinct. The building is in three main forms: The north and south ends, which include most of the new construction to strengthen the gateways to the wharf from the land and from the sea; and the long central portion. This part is refurbished in a manner that retains proportions, rhythms and elements of the existing building including the roof, spire and main structural elements. Intrinsic to the overall design are nautical and marine themes that have always defined the building, with references to a ship’s hull, structural ribs, bridges, decks and attachments such as life boats and davits. As such, the long sides incorporate elements that are cantilevered or recessed creating shelter and visual interest along the length of the building. The building's uses
The concept proposal features up to 70 apartments on the upper levels of the building. As with all new development on the waterfront, the ground floor has to be predominantly publicly accessible. A mix of restaurants will provide atmosphere and activity at the southern end of the wharf. A further 1,000-1,500 square metres have been set aside for WWL to ensure a range of other uses including space for marina services and the marina office and other public recreational activities. A car park is proposed for beneath the wharf, ensuring vehicles belonging to OPT residents will be contained within the building area without encroaching into public space. Building heights
Car parkingPublic vehicle access will be maintained around the perimeter of the building and approximately 28 public car parks will be provided on the wharf itself. The car parking for OPT residents will be housed beneath the wharf in an ingeniously designed ‘box’. Not only does this remove a significant number of parks from the wharf, but the box also strengthens the wharf structure by adding to its rigidity. Access to the car park under the wharf is via a cut-out in the wharf making mundane car access a feature of the design. The cut-out will also help to separate pedestrian and vehicle access. Car parking for marina users will be provided for elsewhere within the Waitangi precinct. Developers to pay for upgrade
As outlined previously, the wharf piles and substructure supporting the wharf urgently need replacing, at a cost of around $16 million. In the Willis Bond proposal, the developers will take responsibility for this cost, and for upgrading the OPT and wharf structures to a standard acceptable under the Building Act 2004. This essential upgrade would otherwise need to be paid for by ratepayers. A SUMMARY OF THE BENEFITS OF THE WILLIS BOND PROPOSALWhen examining the many benefits of this proposal, we believe that Wellington and Wellingtonians are the winners all around:
WHERE TO FROM HERE?
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Structural engineers have assessed the current condition of the OPT and wharf and concluded they are in poor condition, requiring approximately $10 million to save them from demolition and upgrade them to a standard acceptable under the Building Act 2004. 
The concrete wharf slab, deck beams and lattice bracing have been severely affected by the seawater environment – making the concrete crumble away in places, exposing the reinforcing.
The existing building height is approximately 12 metres. Increases to the height and bulk of the building are conservative, ensuring impacts on neighbouring views are minimal. As this design is still at concept stage, exact heights are yet to be determined. However, at this stage the maximum heights are:
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