Downtown Auckland, from Devonport Ferry. Image: Su Leslie
Last week for Debbie’s One Word Sunday, I showed you the lovely old Ferry Terminal in Auckland — only slightly dwarfed by its new neighbours.
This week the theme is new — so I’m giving a bit more context. At street level, it’s clear that some heritage architecture remains, but as with most cities, new-builds dominate the skyline.
Leaving the city behind; view from departing ferry. Image: Su Leslie
The Ferry Terminal is still partly visible behind some white sheds, but steel and glass rule in 21st century Auckland.
“Architecture is the will of an epoch translated into space.” — Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
For a slightly different take on “new”, the photo below of the Ferry Terminal was taken in 1916.
The catalogue description says:
Looking south from the jib of a floating crane near Queens Wharf over the city towards Karangahape Road and Mt Eden, showing Quay Street West along foreshore, with the Ferry Building (left), Auckland Harbour Board offices, Albert Street (to the right), Auckland Sailors Home (extreme right), and the Ferry Wharf with the ferries Kestrel, Britannia, Pupuke and Osprey (from left to right)
Photo Credit: Winkelmann, Henry. Taken 12 January 1916. Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 1-W1732
Posted to One Word Sunday | new
Zimmerbitch 
Thanks for the 2nd view!
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You’re welcome 😀
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Beautiful modern Auckland! Great shots, Su!
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Thanks Peter
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I’m glad we don’t live in the city. It was depressing watching neighborhoods “improve.” All it really meant is that the people who used to live there can’t afford the rent and have to go somewhere else.
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Yep; same here.
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The commonality in the photos seems to be a paucity of trees.
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Ain’t that the truth!!
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It’s kind of sad when a building that was imposing in its day finds itself dwarfed by more modern architecture. It’s a part of progress, I guess, but I always feel a little bit sad for them.
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I agree. I just mentioned to Amy that I noticed how much the new buildings have hidden the volacanic cones that otherwise define much of Auckland’s topography.
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There’s a certain similarity today among so many major cities. At a quick glance that could be NYC from the harbor looking at the southern tip of Manhattan.
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Agreed. One of the things I noticed, looking at old photos of the same scene is how the new buildings have totally obscured what are amongst Auckland’s most prominent natural features — a bunch of volcanic cones. Many can be seen from all around the city, and several were prominent from the harbour before the skyscrapers.
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As with all the chain restaurants and stores and big box stores, soon the whole world will have a certain boring uniformity.
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😦
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It’s interesting to see the three different views/times. I’m glad we live in a suburb and not a big city. I prefer the walls of my canyons to be made of rock, not buildings. 🙂 At least Chicago has lots of green spaces and of course, our suburb has lots of trees and parks.
janet
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I’m with you!! Auckland does have plenty of green space, but getting around the city is a nightmare and kind of negates the effect of having lots of parks and beaches.
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The view has dramatically changed. The Mies van der Rohe quote begs for more thinking. 😊
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Even since I was a child, Auckland has been transformed from a low-rise to high-rise city, and with such loss of sunlight and views. If that was the will of the epoch, it’s a strange epoch.
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Too true… we really live in strange times these days.
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You are so right ☹️
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Thanks for continuing the story this week – great posts for old and new
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Thanks Debbie 😀
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When you look at old photos of Australian or Kiwi cities, one can tell that they are from a past era. Yet the skyline in the old parts of the cities in Europe hardly changes, yet somehow photos of it look modern. We have colour photography but it has a different feel. I can’t put my finger on it. I am glad that some of the old architecture remains. I have not been to Auckland, close to it, but not in it. Thanks for showing a little bit.
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I know what you mean. I guess there are clues to the age of the photo in street and building signage rather than the skyline itself.
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That could be it ir we notice the cars/people’s dress without realizing at first.
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