Wairau Road, Auckland
Westlake Girls High School
2013

Westlake Girls High School Boulevard
The boulevard project saw the replacement of an aging overhead canopy and a concrete walkway at Westlake Girls High School.   This boulevard formed a central pedestrian axis from the administration building to the furthermost eastern classroom block of the school.  Along its length it encompassed 3 medium sized green open spaces, intersecting footpaths, clusters of mature native trees and furniture for the students.  The balance and integration of these features were critical to forming both an aesthetic and functional landscape.   The idea behind the concept was to form outdoor rooms that would extend from the boulevard itself and provide greater areas for students to utilise and enjoy.  The first of these such rooms provided students with a space to’ hangout’ in the sunshine.  It consists of a circular shaped lawn area with seating all enclosed using native planting.  The second gesture was a re-planted bank that formed the centre point of the boulevard with native flaxes and grasses providing a distinct contrast to the concrete and hedge courtyard adjacent.  The final area utilises an oversized picnic table and offered a lunch time chill out zone.  Throughout the length of the boulevard 5 trees have been planted, given prominence with coloured up lighting, these trees represent the 5 houses at the school.  Overall the design grounds the traditions of the school whilst providing open green spaces for the students to use.