After only a few short months and a rapid design and construction process the first families were able to move in.
More families will have a warm and safe place to stay in times of need with the opening of the Luke Street emergency housing development in Otahuhu, Auckland. Greenwood Associates was contracted to design the landscape for the 43-house transitional housing development including two parks, two play areas, and a half basketball court. Prime Minister Bill English officially opened the temporary housing project in March of 2017. In October 2016, the Luke Street land was an empty lot that in future will be used for the extension of the neighbouring Otahuhu Intermediate School. These families had previously been living in motels and garages, and are now moving in to warm, safe places close to their children’s schools and where they’ll be supported for anywhere between 12 and 24 weeks before moving into more sustainable housing options. Around 210 people, mainly families with children can be housed in the Luke Street properties. There is a lot to take into consideration when designing landscapes for social housing providers, we must achieve the urban design objectives required by the council, whilst providing low cost, low maintenance, safe, functional, durable and attractive solutions for our clients and their tenants. We are industry leaders in this field and have a proven record of delivering beautiful, cost-effective landscapes that stand the test of time.