Urban design and landscaping

Many of the transport solutions we develop impact the spaces in which New Zealanders live, work and play. As we develop our transport networks, we are working to ensure quality urban design principles and landscape principles inform the planning, design, implementation and management of the network.

Our key urban design principles are:

Designing for the context
Integrating transport and land use
Contributing to good urban form
Integrating all modes of movement
Supporting community cohesion
Maintaining local connectivity
Respecting cultural heritage values
Designing with nature
Creating a positive road user experience
Achieving a low maintenance design

Our key landscape principles are:

A context sensitive and place based approach
Facilitate green infrastructure and landscape integration
Understand the physical conditions
The right plant in the right place
Promote biodiversity and build in resilience
Champion low impact design (LID)
Deliver a quality user experience
Low maintenance and whole of life value
Safety in design
Facilitate community engagement and a collaborative approach

Our commitment to quality urban design

As a signatory to the New Zealand Urban Design Protocol, we're committed to planning for, developing and promoting quality urban design.

eLearning

The Transport Agency developed a series of eLearning modules in 2013, which introduces the key concepts of air quality and transport related assessment processes.

The urban design and highway landscaping eLearning modules are available at http://nzta.onlearn.co.nz/(external link).

Note: Please ensure that popups are not blocked to load the eLearning module.

Urban design

Urban design seeks to integrate the economic, engineering, environmental and social activities of state highway activities into the context of the built and natural environment.

Highway landscaping

Highway landscaping plays a role in making state highways safe for the community. There are social, environmental and economic expectations for highway landscaping.

Urban design and landscape standards, guidelines and specifications

These resources demonstrate the Transport Agency’s commitment to urban design and landscape, our concerns for the natural and built environments and impacts of infrastructure on surrounding communities. The links include case studies and lessons learnt aimed at firmly establishing urban design and landscape as a standard working practice for the Agency.

The material should be a source of inspiration, targeted at those tasked with planning, designing, implementing and managing Transport Agency infrastructure projects and for those in the NZ Transport Agency or working/acting on behalf of the Agency whose actions affect urban design outcomes.

For further information contact environment@nzta.govt.nz.

Standards, guidelines and specifications

Key documents relating to the Transport Agency’s expectations on how to meet our urban design protocol obligations, help transport networks fit in sensitively with the landform and the built, natural and community environments through which they pass; and ensure the design of highway infrastructure contributes to quality public space and the road-user experience.