Vision for the Learning Quarter
What we aim to do
- A more attractive city centre environment for students, Aucklanders and visitors.
- Better connections between university facilities across the Learning Quarter, Grafton, and Newmarket.
- Improved accessibility to the Learning Quarter by foot, cycle, bus, and rail.
- Better conditions for business and university collaboration.
- A city centre that can benefit culturally, socially and economically from the presence of its universities.
Why we want to do this
Two of Aotearoa's leading universities – University of Auckland (UoA) and Auckland University of Technology (AUT) are based in the city centre’s Learning Quarter. This area is roughly bounded by Waterloo Quadrant, Kitchener Street, Wakefield Street, and State Highway 16.
Both UoA and AUT are concentrating their presence in the city centre and city fringe, with multi-million dollar investments taking place in the Learning Quarter, Grafton and Newmarket.
The presence of universities offers significant wider benefits to the city centre.
The Learning Quarter is not a consistently attractive environment, and car-oriented streets carry high speed traffic through the heart of the universities.
Public transport mode share to the Learning Quarter is already high, but more students and staff will need to be able to access the Learning Quarter as it intensifies. Learning Quarter streets will need to become more closely aligned to the universities' needs.
By integrating the universities closely into the city, students and staff will benefit fully from their proximity to the city centre. This will strengthen Auckland's national and global reputation as a desirable destination for study.
