Te Waihorotiu, Karanga-a-Hape and Maungawhau stations, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand
About this story
Grimshaw led the delivered station architecture and urban-interface design for Te Waihorotiu, Karanga-a-Hape and Maungawhau, working with WSP Architects and the wider Link Alliance team. The three stations form the principal new public spaces of Auckland's 3.45-kilometre twin-tunnel City Rail Link, which converted Waitematā from a terminus into a through station and increased the capacity and connectivity of the wider rail network. Grimshaw reports approximately 18,500 square metres of station area across the three buildings and a completed construction value of NZ$5.493 billion. The architectural framework was developed with the City Rail Link Mana Whenua Forum, guided by Te Aranga Māori Design Principles and the Te Ao Mārama creation narrative. A shared sequence of Sky, Earth, Threshold and Fourth elements uses dark, light and translucent materials to evoke Te Whaiao, the first glimmer of dawn, while allowing each station to express narratives specific to its site. A coordinated kit of wall linings, ceilings, flooring, canopies, skylights, screens, balustrades, signage and operational components establishes continuity across mined, cut-and-cover and surface-station conditions. At Te Waihorotiu, Graham Tipene's Horotiu installation uses more than 4,000 gold-toned anodised-aluminium rods to evoke bulrush reeds in the former Waihorotiu Stream. A central kauri carving of the guardian Horotiu was made by Paraone Luiten-Apirana. At Karanga-a-Hape, Reuben Kirkwood created three pupurangi shell forms from radiating anodised-aluminium panels and a ceiling work referencing the maramataka Māori lunar calendar. At Maungawhau, Tessa Harris developed artworks tied to the area's volcanic landscape, including triangular forms crafted by Sofia Athineou. Jasmax identifies 53 lava-coloured glass triangles representing Auckland's volcanic cones and a waterwall incorporating reclaimed Maungawhau basalt. The selected Dezeen report also credits parametric aluminium plant-room screens assembled from twelve shingle types, modular precast flooring at Te Waihorotiu and Karanga-a-Hape, and sandstone and basalt flooring at Maungawhau. Personal design leadership credited by the publisher includes project-wide design lead Gosha Haley, architectural lead Jessica Beagelman and partner in charge Mark Middleton. Photography in the selected article is credited to Peter Bennetts.
Status and timeline
Grimshaw's involvement began with the 2012 business case and technical-advisory work. Link Alliance was appointed for the main stations, tunnels and rail systems in 2019. City Rail Link Limited achieved practical completion and transferred the infrastructure to Auckland Transport and KiwiRail at the end of June 2026. The railway was formally opened on September 11, 2026, and passenger services began September 13, 2026. It is now operational.
Design highlights
A system-wide interpretation of Te Ao Mārama and Te Whaiao through four architectural elements—Sky, Earth, Threshold and Fourth; close design partnership with the City Rail Link Mana Whenua Forum; integrated rather than appended public art; station-specific narratives by Graham Tipene, Reuben Kirkwood and Tessa Harris; a repeatable kit of station components adapted to three construction conditions; parametric aluminium screens using twelve shingle types; geology-responsive flooring; more than 4,000 anodised-aluminium rods at Te Waihorotiu; pupurangi and maramataka references at Karanga-a-Hape; and volcanic basalt and glass-triangle works at Maungawhau.
