When you consider the screamingly non-descript developments that popped up around Auckland in days gone by, the extent to which new city-fringe apartment building Basilica will respond to its context is extraordinary.
Designed by Moller Architects, eight-level development Basilica is named in deference to neighbouring church St Benedict's, from which it subtly takes some of its design cues.
However, that's not the only influence on the building.
Architect Craig Moller says: "It responds to the context of Upper Queen St out the front, to the church at rear and to the wider views."
"A lot of windows and openings in churches are vertically orientated so here the building's design takes cues from the vertical fenestrations of the church," says Craig.
Strong vertical elements on this face include shutters over bedrooms that residents can adjust for privacy.
These shutters feature patterned perforations based on shapes seen in the church, which also feature in sliding screens along the toplevels on the Upper Queen St side of the building.
This side is where you'll find the building's entry alongside two double-height retail spaces topped by seven levels of apartments. Responding to regulations requiring the building to step back above the fourth level at the front, rather than present as one solid mass, Craig chose to modulate the two sections created.
Craig says: "The first four levels on Upper Queen St are very much articulated in heavy concrete construction whereas the upper four levels have been designed with a much lighter feel.
"These lower levels will have concrete beams and columns, concrete planter boxes and bi-fold timber shutters, whereas the upper levels will have steel-framed aluminium sliding screens.
"The lower levels are more about engaging with the street and responding to street views whereas on the upper levels you are engaging with the wider view."
Front-facing apartments, which are two-bedroom or two-bedroom-plus study layouts, have views of the Sky Tower and Waitakeres with uppermost apartments catching a glimpse of the harbour bridge.
The step-back above level four means level five front apartments get particularly expansive outdoor living of around 70 square metres, encompassing open-air and covered timber decks.
Basilica's prominent site on the edge of Grafton Gully is within 15 minutes' walk of Ponsonby, Kingsland, Newmarket, AUT and Auckland University's Central and Newmarket campuses. Previous zoning allowed only four levels here but Unitary Plan changes have enabled the additional four levels.
