Auckland, New Zealand
Buchan designed New Zealand’s largest retail center with its light-filled atrium transforming Sylvia Park into the country’s most popular shopping destination.
The architectural work in the retail and hospitality space is evident in every design detail at New Zealand’s brand-new retail district, Sylvia Park. Kiwi Property unveiled its $277 million, 20,000 sqm Level 1 expansion last month, which resulted in an overwhelmingly positive response from the local and wider community.
Sylvia Park’s transformation was short-listed for a 2021 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The distinct design choices throughout the Galleria position Sylvia Park as a premier retail location. The inspiration for the Galleria came from a desire to create a contemporary and timeless space that would act as a counterpoint to the dynamic and more ephemeral designs of the retail units and shopfronts, which are more driven by changing trends and fashions over time. The sleek and elegant aesthetics introduced are evident in every intricate detail.
During the day, the design provides a galleria-style atrium flooding the mall with diffused natural daylight through roof skylights. While at night discrete light sources up-light the curved surfaces of the ceilings providing a soft ambiance.
The design gives clear views inside allowing customers to effortlessly move through the Galleria with no need for extensive wayfinding. The form and finishes of the interior provide a sophisticated backdrop that is a balance to the colors and materials used by the retailers on their shopfronts.
The team also led the design and upgrade of the expansion at Sylvia Parks’ The Grove Dining District to accommodate six new restaurants, a new square, and a dining lane. The silhouette of the signature dining pavilion relates to the forms and scale of the existing buildings and the angular geometry of the wing-like roof appears as if it is folded, like origami.
The revitalized dining lane also has a new automated canopy supported by ‘structural trees’. This now allows dining outside all year round, providing shelter from the rain in winter and shade from the sun in summer.
Architect’s industry knowledge is prevalent throughout the project, well known for its expertise in retail and master planning of the highest quality, Sylvia Park is now defined as a Metropolitan Center in Auckland. In addition to the Galleria at Sylvia Park, the architects have designed new multi-level car parks, and a new dining precinct, ‘The Terrace.’
Project: Sylvia Park
Architects: Buchan
Client: Kiwi Property
Contractor: Naylor Love
Photographers: Mark Scowen and Robert McFarlane
