Aotea Square
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Aotea Square is a large paved public area regarded as the centre of the city of Auckland City, New Zealand. Officially opened in 1979 by Sir Dove-Myer Robinson, it is used as the site for open-air concerts and gatherings, as well as markets and political rallies. Aotea Square is located at the southern end of Auckland's central business district. The city's main street, Queen Street, runs along its eastern edge.
The name of the square is derived from a abbreviation of Aotearoa, the Māori name for New Zealand.
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[edit] Surroundings
At the Queen Street entrance to Aotea Square is located the splendid Edwardian Auckland Town Hall, 1911. J.Clark & Sons architects. The main concert chamber has excellent acoustics being based on a famous concert hall in Leipzig, Germany. The clock was donated by a former mayor of Auckland, Sir Arthur Myers. The impressive pipe organ was donated by another former mayor, Sir Henry Brett. This building was extensively restored and upgraded in 1994.
To the south of the square stands the 1966 Administration block of the Auckland City Council, Tibor K. Donner architect, along with the entry to Myers Park.
On the western side of Aotea square is Auckland's main conference and theatre venue, the Aotea Centre, 1989 Ewen Wainscott architect. The foyer contains art works by many New Zealand artists including a full length portrait in bronze of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa by Terry Stringer.
To the north of the square is a theatre complex including the 1929 Civic Theatre which is one of the best examples in the world of a Cinema built in the atmospheric theatre style (the ceiling imitates the night sky with illuminated stars showing the constellations of the southern sky).
Aotea Square was originally the location of a swamp being fed and drained by the Waihorotiu Stream. The stream was turned into an open sewer canal and eventually bricked over, and the swampy area drained. An two-story underground parking garage accessible from Mayoral Drive is now found beneath.
[edit] Public art
A number of art works are located in Aotea Square:
- At the Queen Street entrance is a gateway in wood and copper by Selwyn Muru, a Māori sculptor. This is an expressionist version of a traditional Māori entry gate.
- In front of the Town Hall is a bronze statue of Sir Dove-Myer Robinson, a former mayor of Auckland. This work dates from 2003 and is by the New Zealand sculptor Toby Twiss.
- Near the Town Hall is a bronze figure of a Māori warrior by Lyndon Smith. This statue was originally commissioned in the 1960s for the lobby of the Auckland Saving Bank's new building on Queen Street. In 1997 the ASB presented this art work to the City of Auckland.
- In the centre of the square is a Bronze fountain by New Zealand Sculptor Terry Stringer. This angular "mountain" was commissioned in 1979 to form the centre piece for the new square, its form echoes the roofline of the contemporary Aotea Centre.
- In front of the Admin building is a 19th century bronze statue of George Eden, Lord Auckland (a Governor of India after whom the city of Auckland is named). This statue was originally erected in Calcutta and was purchased from the government of India by the Auckland City Council in the early 1960s.
[edit] Significant events
Aotea Square is often utilised for public events, including fairs, protest rallies, music festivals, rock concerts and the annual seeing in of the New Year. It also hosts a regular arts & crafts market on Saturdays.
Aotea Square was site of a major civil disturbance on December 7, 1984, when a free rock concert given by various bands including Herbs and DD Smash degenerated into a riot after police over-reacted to a rowdy section of the crowd. The resulting civil disobedience resulted in NZ$1,000,000 damage ($3,000,000 in 2004 terms).[citation needed]
[edit] References
- Decently And In Order, The Centennial History of the Auckland City Council - Bush, G.W.A, Collins 1971.
- Auckland City Heritage Walks - Yoffe,Susan & Mace, Tania, 2005
