Laundry looks fine if it's arty

This washing is designed to give a southern European feel to Auckland's CBD. Picture / Kenny Rodger

The laundry is flapping in the breeze in Upper Vulcan Lane, downtown Auckland, but there have been no washing-line complaints from apartment dwellers.

The artistic installation, approved by property owners, will run until February 12.

It is designed to give the lane a Southern European feel, in contrast with other parts of the city where some apartment residents are banned from hanging washing on their balconies.

Event organiser Pitsch Leiser saw three tourists photographing the washing on Monday - and promptly photographed them all lined up.

The washing installation is one of a number of "Living Room" events between now and April as part of a strategy to turn the Auckland central business district into a vibrant cultural centre.

For three nights a month until March, a project called Secret City Scape, in which a lunar image and a moving "man in the moon" are projected on to a nearby wall, will be held in three alleyways to coincide with full moons.

Fort Lane, between Fort and Customs Sts, was the first to receive treatment.

On Monday night, up to 40 people showed up to experience the project, run by artist Bryan Caldwell.

"It is a subtle installation but it does entertain," Mr Leiser said.

"You suddenly stop. You look at the image.

"It probably makes you look at the whole lane in a different way," he said.

"There are actually a lot of people who walk through there."

Mr Leiser said the low-budget series of events was about discovery, rather than about attracting huge crowds.

The Auckland City Council initiative is funded by CBD-targeted rates.

The last Secret City Scape for this month will be held tonight.

Other events will include poetry on CBD pavements, starting on February 7, and a series of free New Zealand short films from March 16 to 18 at Aotea Square.