The Quays

Judges Citation:
Like many towns throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, Blenheim had turned its back to its river. The Quays is an important part of stitching the town and the river back together. The simple gesture is consistent with the urban scale of Blenheim – a place very different to the downtown settings of our major cities. A simple palette of hard and soft materials is used in making the link between the higher land of the urban area, down to the river’s edge and opens up the open space potential at the end of the main street. Difficult levels have been managed, providing north facing grassy slopes and a formed accessible gradient zig-zagging down the slope in a way which is inviting to all users.

The movement down the zig-zag offers a range of views up and down the river, and is well-complemented by plants which reinforce the location in Marlborough, and generally transitions effectively to the existing riverside boardwalk, where raised flood levels can be an issue for materials and plantings. The sculptural aspect of these plants will be enhanced with time, and the design will continue to develop its strength. Gabion baskets filled with local stone also ground the design in place, and give the necessary structural and visual weight while complementing the riverside location.