Beca Design Practice leads appointed to Auckland Urban Design Panel

Warm congratulations to Ngata Tapsell and Stuart Bowden, two of our Beca Design Practice leaders, on their recent appointment to the Auckland Urban Design Panel.

The Auckland Urban Design Panel (AUDP) provides independent review of significant public and private developments across the Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland region. By allowing for planning and design issues to be raised early in the design process, and prior to the resource consent lodgement, the panel helps reduce overall project costs as well as consenting timeframes and fees. In essence – the panel exists to help make everyday better for the design and development of our communities.

Ngata (Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāti Porou, Tainui) is a Principal Architect in our Design Practice, who over the course of his career has lived and worked in New Zealand, Australia, the Middle East and Asia. In a career spanning more than 20 years, Ngata has amassed expertise across a range of building typologies and scales, and he is committed to exploring the limitless potential of indigeneity in the built environment.

“Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland continues to grow exponentially, and the Auckland Urban Design Panel has a vital role to play in providing independent, best practice advice to ensure that new developments contribute positively to our city. I am excited to be joining the panel at this pivotal time, and in particular, for the platform to advance our collective thinking on the role that our tangata whenua can play in the built environment. Auckland has an opportunity to be an exemplar of international significance, redefining the notion of a city which is both modern and grounded on our deepest cultural foundations," says Ngata Tapsell.

Stuart is an Urban Designer and Principal Landscape Architect, who has also amassed considerable expertise across New Zealand, Australia and the Middle East. With over 30 years of local and international experience delivering cohesive design solutions on complex projects, Stuart is a public realm and public transport advocate in every sense, with a real passion for true design integration. 

“Being appointed to the Auckland Urban Design Panel is an experience I am humbled and grateful for. It is an honour to be in a position to help improve the lives of Aucklanders, and make a sustainable and impactful contribution to the design, integration and connection of our city’s beautiful places and spaces,” says Stuart Bowden.

Appointments to the AUDP are for three years, with each panel comprising four to six people drawn from a larger pool. The panel has representation from; the Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA), New Zealand Planning Institute, Property Council of New Zealand, New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects (NZILA), Auckland Council’s Urban Design Unit (UDU) and Ngā Aho. Stuart was a nomination from the UDU and Ngata from the NZIA. 

This is a fantastic recognition for Ngata and Stuart – we wish them both all the best, and are sure they will be looking forward to supporting the design of Auckland’s future!

Find out more about the AUDP and meet all the panellists here - http://www.aucklanddesignmanual.co.nz/resources/design-panels