Karanga-a-Hape Station
2016-26
- City Centre
- Complete
- Urban regeneration
- Sustainability
- Mana Whenua
The Karangahape Road precinct now boasts New Zealand's deepest rail station, longest escalator and easy access to Midtown, Downtown and wider Tāmaki Makaurau.
This station has been built as part of the 3.45km underground City Rail Link project.
The station
Karanga-a-Hape and Te Waihorotiu stations are brand new additions to Auckland's passenger rail system. Along with the expanded Waitematā and rebuilt Maungawhau stations, they make up the architectural centrepiece of CRL.
The stations' architecture are statements on the unique combination of landscape, cultural history and identity that is Tāmaki Makaurau.
The underground station is 33m deep and there are two aboveground entry points to the station at Mercury Lane and Beresford Square. Up to 1,400 people per hour are expected to disembark at Karanga-a-Hape Station during peak times.
Station design was led by architects Grimshaw and Jasmax with engineering by WSP, within the constructor consortium Link Alliance.
The name
The name ‘Karanga-a-Hape’ is a grammatical correction of Karangahape. Named for the great calling of Hape, who was left behind by his people when he was denied passage across the ocean in his waka (canoe).
After performing a karakia (prayer) he was gifted a kaitiaki (guardian) and a stingray. Together they crossed the water to arrive in Aotearoa ahead of the Tainui waka that left before them. The name Karanga-a-Hape celebrates Hape’s call to welcome his own relatives who had denied him passage.