Podcasts A city of neighbourhoods

This "Placemaking" series was recorded over late 2025 and early 2026. 

Graham Tipene, provides fascinating insight into - how art reinforces sense of identity, growing up as Mana Whenua in Tamaki Makaurau and that art belongs in our public places, as much as in galleries.

Jeremy Hansen works for Cooper & Co, the people who brought (and still bring) us the highly successful Britomart precinct.  Jeremy explains why this private sector firm invests in public space, public art and public events, revealing the mutual dependence between public and business investment.

Professor Paul Spoonley paints a picture of population change in Auckland and Aotearoa that we all need to see.  Our city and country are changing, but they have done so continuously for nearly two centuries.  Hear how  population change is necessary now - if our country is to thrive. 

Bill McKay takes us to some of Auckland's best examples of architecture and discusses the role of the architect in ensuring buildings and spaces actually work for people. 

New Yorker Ethan Kent is an internationally sought after advisor on the creation of successful urban precincts.  Ethan casts he well trained eye on how Auckland is doing (spoiler alert - we're not doing too bad).

The series concludes with one of Aotearoa's preeminent placemakers - AUDO's Frith Walker, joining us for an insightful wrap of the series.

This series was recorded through 2025.

The size of the contribution Auckland's City Centre makes to the national economy is similar to that made by the entire Waikato Region.  Over the last 15 years our City Centre's economic growth has outpaced the national economy. But the contribution made by these 4.5 square kilometres isn't only economic. 

In the fifteen years since the formation of the "Supercity" in 2010, Auckland's City Centre has undergone dramatic change.  The transformation isn't the result of a string of unrelated ideas, it is the implementation of a thoroughly consulted on strategy - The City Centre Masterplan. 

A key theme emerging from these podcast discussions is that public and private investments in the City Centre do not come at the expense of each other, instead they are complementary and interdependent - they reinforce each other.

This podcast series talks to a range of key thinkers and decision makers about the role of the City Centre, how well we are doing, whether the change has been successful and what we need to do ensure the City Centre is a place for all Aucklanders.