Ashbourne Matamata - Commercial Centre
The Cultural framework developed by Norm Hill for the wider Ashbourne Master Plan resonates with the idea of linkages, connections between people, connections with the land and the spiritual and physical connection to the Waitoa River. This is expressed in a pathway that stretches from the river through the commercial (village) centre to the far reaches of the development. This pathway acts both as a central pedestrian (and cycle) circulation route and as a metaphorical pathway to understanding and unity, bringing together the past and present, and the future (sustainability).
AWA have taken these themes and expressed them via the dominant geological and geographical features of the local landscape. The idea of a connecting pathway from the river, speaking of past and future, is mirrored in the history of the Hinuera Valley, immediately to the south-west of Matamata. The rocky outcrops bordering the valley are iconic signifiers of entry to the Matamata District.
The valley itself is the remnant of a former river course, flowing to the Firth of Thames. The path of the river was displaced by the Taupo super-eruption, becoming the Waikato River as it is known today. The Waitoa River is a remnant of the original water path, connecting its history with that of the Hinuera Valley.
The design for the commercial zone focusses on the pathway from the Waitoa River, using it as the generator of the overall layout. It is the defining feature, a metaphorical extension of the river. The buildings are a collection of elements, the form and pattern of which are informed by the shape of the path.
The buildings sit either side of the path, angled to complement its flow. They are angular and tectonic, reminiscent of the rocky outcrops of the Hinuera Valley. The forms are grouped in pairs, ‘cleaved’ by secondary pathways that terminate at the main circulation route. The roof forms are simple and angular, rising and falling in a pattern that mimics the random geometry of geological formations. The materiality of the building’s echoes that of these geological formations; using sturdy, natural materials that reference their strength and solidity.
Path and buildings open out at the centre of the precinct, by the main bend in the adjacent road, creating an open communal space. This central zone can be seen from the car park, between the cleaved buildings, and from both ends of the commercial centre/village as it is approached. This space could feature sculptural artwork, to act as a cultural touchstone and orientation point for the community.
