City to Sea Bridge | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 41°17′20″S174°46′43″E / 41.288775°S 174.778589°E |
Carries | Pedestrians |
Crosses | Jervois Quay |
Locale | Wellington City, New Zealand |
Characteristics | |
Material | Reinforced concrete and timber |
History | |
Opened | 1993 |
Location | |
The City to Sea Bridge is a pedestrian bridge and public artwork located in Wellington City, New Zealand. Opened on 31 October 1993, [1] the wedge-shaped bridge crosses arterial road Jervois Quay, connecting the public spaces of Civic Square to the Wellington waterfront precinct at Whairepo Lagoon. [2] Around the square are the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington Town Hall, Wellington City Art Gallery and Wellington Central Library.
Architects Rewi Thompson and John Gray were commissioned by Wellington City Council to design the bridge, and they brought in artist Paratene Matchitt to contribute to the design. The Council's brief was that the bridge should address the significance of the waterfront and public space. [3] The bridge is adorned with non-traditional wooden sculptures carved by Matchitt, some of which form the sides of the bridge. On one side are two large birds representing welcome and festivity. On the other are two whales which can also be seen as the taniwha Ngake and Whātaitai, [3] who according to Māori legend created Wellington Harbour. [4] Poles on the bridge have metal shapes on them. Some represent the moon and stars, signifying celestial navigation. [3] Other symbols on the poles are inspired by those on Te Kooti's flag Te Wepu. [5] Matchitt's work was influenced by Te Kooti's philosophies and he used these symbols in other sculptures as well as the bridge. [6] The whole layered bridge structure represents the uplifted and eroded landforms of Wellington and a point of arrival and change. [3] At the Civic Square base of the bridge are two Oamaru stone sculptures by Matt Pine, titled Prow and Capital. [7] A plaque here states:
Capital and Prow The sculptures by Matt Pine on either side of the stairs are part of a series of 10 works called Reflections on an Ancient Past. Capital (above) is based on European classical architectural elements with koru form on the edges. Prow (on the other side) depicts a Maori canoe prow with Taniko weave motif on the edges - a mix of European and Maori cultural elements. [8]
Art historian Robin Woodward identifies City to Sea Bridge as what he saw as one of the top sculptures that "[integrated] the urban and the sculptural" in New Zealand, alongside Terry Stringer's Mountain Fountain (1981) and Greer Twiss' Karangahape Rocks (1969). [9] Public reaction to the bridge was mixed when it was built, [10] but it has become a tourist attraction in its own right. [11] [12]
Between 15 October 2011 and 31 January 2012, protesters set up a camp on the raised grassed area on the Civic Square side of the bridge. The protest, 'Occupy Wellington', began in support of the international Occupy movement but during the occupation the focus changed to an emphasis on homelessness. The protest cost ratepayers more than $65000 in legal fees, security and repairing damage to the lawn. [13] [14] [15]
Problems with the bridge's design and construction have been ongoing. Remedial work was undertaken shortly after the bridge opened when it was found that small children could fall through gaps. Rot was discovered in 2009 [2] and strengthening undertaken in 2010 and 2011. [16] In 2019 an engineering assessment noted that structural problems with the bridge might actually improve its resistance to earthquakes. [16] In November 2023, Wellington City Council announced that as part of its ten-year plan it would cut $170m from its budget for Civic Square and the City to Sea Bridge, and would look into demolishing the bridge and the Capital E building adjoining it. [17]
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand, and is the administrative centre of the Wellington Region. It is the world's southernmost capital of a sovereign state. Wellington features a temperate maritime climate, and is the world's windiest city by average wind speed.
In Māori mythology, taniwha are large supernatural beings that live in deep pools in rivers, dark caves, or in the sea, especially in places with dangerous currents or deceptive breakers . They may be considered highly respected kaitiaki of people and places, or in some traditions as dangerous, predatory beings, which for example would kidnap women to have as wives.
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Paratene Temokopuorongo Matchitt was a New Zealand sculptor and painter, known for combining traditional Māori art forms with those of modernist art. His work also references events from New Zealand history, particularly the Māori prophetic movements of the nineteenth century and most specifically Te Kooti.
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