Construkt Architects provided masterplanning, architectural design, an open space study and urban design guidelines for Port Nikau, a waterfront regeneration project in Whangārei, Northland.

Prepared for Port Nikau Joint Venture, the 67-hectare masterplan provides for more than 1,200 homes and a waterfront town centre on former port land. It combines low- and medium-density housing, retirement housing, mixed-use buildings and public open space within a connected grid of streets.

Two key routes organise the neighbourhood: Waitai Trail and Arataki Avenue. Waitai Trail connects the coastal edge, mangroves, parks and residential areas for pedestrians and cyclists. Arataki Avenue follows the alignment of the historic Tide Gauge Wharf, providing a direct connection through the development to the waterfront and town centre.

Architectural services included designing Port Nikau Apartments, developing building typologies and creating a matrix of housing options to give purchasers choice when selecting a site.

Construkt continues to undertake urban design reviews, assessing dwellings against the guidelines as they are designed and built. This ongoing role supports the application of the masterplan’s design principles to individual homes as the neighbourhood develops.