One of the important elements of Te Ngākau is the City to Sea Bridge (the bridge), opened in October 1993. Architects Rewi Thompson and John Gray won a design competition for the bridge and collaborated with the artist Para Matchitt who created the sculptures on and around the bridge.

We acknowledge all the architects and artists who built this bridge, the architectural values of the bridge, and the value it has brought to many Wellingtonians.

The artworks on the bridge tell the stories of Wellington City and the harbour, including the story of how Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington harbour) was formed, references to voyages and navigation, natural forces and landforms. They also reference materials found around the waterfront. These stories are woven together to create a sense of place and people.

The Council is currently discussing all options for appropriately relocating or decommissioning the bridge's artwork with the whānau and representatives of all the artists, informed by our Public Art Policy.

The bridge is currently the main connection between Te Ngākau Civic Square and the waterfront. The bridge consists of the main area which crosses Jervois Quay, the sea wall on the Whairepo Lagoon, and the former Capital E building.

As part of our review of Te Ngākau precinct, a detailed seismic assessment of the bridge and former Capital E building has been carried out. This identified that the bridge has a rating of 20% NBS — ‘very high-risk’ as identified by MBIE guidance. The likelihood of liquefaction is where water-saturated ground could occur. Where water-saturated ground temporarily acts like a liquid during an earthquake – it could occur in a moderate earthquake, undermining the stability of the bridge.

In addition to the liquefaction risk, both the former Capital E building and the sea wall have low seismic ratings.

The former Capital E building is earthquake prone and must be either strengthened or removed.

The bridge itself is built over Jervois Quay which acts as a priority transport route through the city after a seismic event. This thoroughfare is required for emergency services to move through the city.

If the bridge failed during an earthquake, it would have a significant impact on an emergency response effort. Even if it was damaged during a moderate event, we would need to close Jervois Quay while the bridge was investigated or demolished, causing significant disruption to the city.

Taking note of these risks, we believe remedial action needs to be undertaken on the bridge as soon as possible. For safety reasons, doing nothing is not an option.

Engineers and other experts have investigated several options to strengthen the bridge and surrounding areas from both the Te Ngākau and Whairepo Lagoon sides.

The City to Sea Bridge, former Capital E building and seawall are interconnected structures and would all need to be strengthened for the bridge to no longer be earthquake-prone. One could not be strengthened without strengthening all three structures.

The most practical strengthening solution would be to install large additional deep foundations, tied into the existing foundations, and install additional steel frames to strengthen the bridge structure.

It would be constructed from the roadway and would require the closure of traffic lanes on Jervois Quay in stages for several months.

Based on this solution, our cost estimate for strengthening the bridge structure is between $90–$120 million (further design and intrusive testing is required to refine this cost with a higher level of accuracy). In addition, there would be months of limited access along Jervois Quay (eg lane closures) to complete the works. This is not considered reasonably practicable, and the existing bridge would therefore need to be demolished.

Given the significant disruption to the city and high costs, strengthening is not considered a reasonably practicable option. We are seeking your input on the following reasonably practicable options to address the earthquake-prone status of the bridge.

This option proposes a large pedestrian crossing aligned with the eastern entrance of Te Ngākau and pedestrian routes towards Te Papa across Jervois Quay. The phasing of the crossing (i.e. the timings of when cars and people can cross) will give greater priority to foot traffic. The street environment will be enhanced using pavement designs, planting, and distinct road surfacing to indicate the entrance to Te Ngākau.

The design would allow pedestrians to move safely between the city and the waterfront by concentrating pedestrian movement across Jervois Quay and providing a clear, safe, and equitable route for both able-bodied and disabled users. There would be a visual connection between Te Ngākau, Te Papa, and the waterfront promenade that fosters greater movement of people into the square rather than around it.

While the existing Bridge design allows people to cross over Jervois Quay, the positioning of the Capital E building and Bridge structure creates a visual barrier between the city and the sea. By opting not to rebuild a bridge, we can increase accessible and usable green space, which will enable more people to use the land currently occupied by the existing Bridge and its surroundings.

By removing the Bridge and reducing buildings and structures, this option aligns with two objectives and outcomes set out in the Te Ngākau Development Plan – significantly increasing public green space and revitalising the area. This solution supports the natural environment, adapts to the effects of climate change, prioritises pedestrian movement, and maximises the creation of public space and greenery.

In addition to the pedestrian crossing, this option proposes a new pedestrian bridge that will provide an elevated crossing over Jervois Quay. The new bridge would create a car-free connection between Te Ngākau and the waterfront, further enhancing pedestrian flow.

Positioned to align with pedestrian pathways to Te Papa and beyond, a goal of the bridge is to create a seamless connection between the city and the sea while avoiding obstruction of views between the lagoon, waterfront and Te Ngākau at street level.

Bridge access from Te Ngākau will be located next to the northern façade of the Michael Fowler Centre. There is also an option to widen a section of the bridge to create a viewing platform towards the lagoon or the square. The new bridge would be a lightweight, simple structure and would not directly align with the pedestrian crossing, ensuring that it does not diminish sunlight to the area.

The harbour-side end of the bridge would be integrated into the green space adjacent to the former St. John’s Ambulance building, creating opportunities for north-facing seating areas and elevated viewing points across the lagoon. This location also avoids adding additional load to the fragile sea wall in Whairepo Lagoon. Significant ramping would be required to ensure accessibility, which may slightly reduce the overall green space.

Positioned to align with pedestrian pathways to Te Papa and beyond, a goal of the new bridge is to create a seamless connection between the city and the sea while avoiding obstruction of views between the lagoon, waterfront and Te Ngākau at street level.

Like Option 1, Option 2 aligns with the objectives and outcomes set out in the Te Ngākau Development Plan by significantly increasing public green space, through the removal of the current Bridge, and revitalising the area, by reducing buildings and structures. Significant ramping would be required to ensure accessibility, which may slightly reduce the overall green space.

Please note that the bridge proposed in this option is a placeholder and has not yet been designed.

Summary:

• Michael Fowler Centre is strengthened and adapted for better connections with surrounding streets and the rest of the precinct.
• City Gallery is retained as-is and reopened after minor strengthening and maintenance work. This work is currently in process, with the Gallery re-opening in February 2026.
• Jack Ilott Green is retained and landscaped to enhance community enjoyment of the space.
• City to Sea Bridge is demolished and replaced with a pedestrian crossing and a new bridge connecting to Michael Fowler Centre to retain the function of the current Bridge.

How this combination meets the scenario goal:

This scenario aims to retain and restore as much of the existing layout of buildings and structures as possible, while using the buildings through cafe or retail opportunities to attract people to the precinct. Although restoring the City to Sea Bridge has been deemed impractical, the construction of a new bridge would retain an elevated walkway between the city and the sea. The new bridge would be accessed via a staircase and an accessible entry point by the Michael Fowler Centre, with opportunities to include elevated seating areas on both sides of Jervois Quay.

With the removal of the Capital E building and the existing Bridge, Jack Ilott Green can be re-landscaped to improve the way this space can be used and better connect it to the overall precinct. City Gallery will be retained as an art gallery without further development, ensuring that the building reopens with minimal intervention.

In addition to the primary aim of retaining and restoring existing functions and uses, this scenario anticipates an increase of approximately 2,000 sq. m of green space in the precinct, predominantly due to the demolition of the City to Sea Bridge.

The trade-offs with this scenario:

This scenario does not take advantage of the opportunity to connect and revitalise the City Gallery's access from Harris Street to, which would better utilise its central location within the Te Ngākau precinct, attract more people to the gallery and allow movement through the gallery to Te Ngākau.

Including a new bridge across Jervois Quay slightly reduces the overall potential for green space due to the necessary stairs and ramps for accessing the bridge.

Restoring the Michael Fowler Centre and Jack Ilott Green loses the opportunity to develop these sites through private commercial investment. Such commercial ventures could enable a variety of uses, such as new bars, restaurants, cafes, shops, events and office space, and attract further investment, including from mana whenua.

Summary:

• Jack Ilott Green is landscaped to enhance community enjoyment of the space.
• City to Sea Bridge is demolished and replaced with a pedestrian crossing only.
• Michael Fowler Centre is strengthened and adapted to enable better connection with surrounding streets and the rest of the precinct.
• A small extension is added to City Gallery on Harris Street, creating a sheltered laneway with commercial and retail space on the ground floor.

How this combination meets the scenario goal:

Maximum green space is achieved by retaining Jack Ilott Green and landscaping it to make it more usable and enjoyable. A significant amount of green space adjacent to Jack Ilott Green is also gained through the demolition of the City to Sea Bridge, and additional green space is gained by not building a new bridge.

This scenario improves the quality of green space, revives natural biodiversity, and promotes the rewilding of the precinct. This scenario best aligns with the Te Ngākau development goals of placing the environment as the primary focus, with a te taiao-first (nature-first) approach reflected throughout the precinct.

The trade-offs with this scenario:

Similar to Scenario 1, the main trade-off with this scenario is losing the opportunity to develop a new building on Jack Ilott Green. A new building in this location could mean new bars, restaurants, cafes, shops, events and office space. This type of activity would help us meet our goal of bringing life and energy back to the precinct, both day and night.

A building here could also play a role as a landmark for Te Ngākau, attracting people to the space and providing opportunities for the City Art Gallery to expand.

Summary:

• Michael Fowler Centre is demolished and replaced with a new building.
• A larger building is added to Jack Ilott Green, creating opportunities for hospitality, retail, and office spaces, and providing the opportunity for elevated views of the landscape.
• City to Sea Bridge is demolished and replaced with a pedestrian crossing and a new bridge connecting to the new building on the Michael Fowler Centre site.
• A large extension is added to the City Gallery, creating a sheltered laneway with commercial and retail spaces on the ground floor.

How this combination meets the scenario goal:

New buildings on the Michael Fowler Centre and Jack Ilott Green sites would create commercial opportunities in Te Ngākau.

A new building on the Michael Fowler Centre site would offer significant cultural, commercial, residential, and hospitality opportunities, and create new access towards Cuba St.

There is an option for a new raised pedestrian bridge to be integrated into the design and construction of the new development on the Michael Fowler Centre site. This could potentially increase commercial activity by bringing waterfront foot traffic to the new Michael Fowler Centre building.

A new building on Jack Ilott Green could include restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, and cultural and event spaces, increasing the buzz of activity around buildings in Te Ngākau both day and night. Bringing this area to life would revitalise currently underutilised areas of Te Ngākau.

The trade-offs with this scenario:

Building on Jack Ilott Green would result in an overall loss of green space compared to other options. However, the precinct will still have more green space than it currently does due to the space freed up by the removal of the City to Sea Bridge. This scenario may also take a longer time to be fully implemented as number of new buildings need to be designed and built in partnership with private developers.