Downtown Auckland is at a crossroads: The pandemic quieted the bustle of its streets, and work-from-home habits mean business as usual may be radically different. What will the city centre of the near future look like? What are the challenges and opportunities?
In this 2020 series of interviews, Britomart's Jeremy Hansen speaks with ten people to discuss their relationships with the city, the future of work and what part the central city will play in it.
Click through to each of the interviews at the links below:
Restaurateur Krishna Botica thinks in-person connection is essential.
General manager of development Andrew Lamb is urging his teams to get back to the office.
EY managing partner, Joanne Ogg, has embraced flexible working but has concerns about the lack of connection.
Credit analyst, Veer Khanna, enjoys the flexibility of a hybrid working model.
Architects Hamish Monk and Dean Mackenzie are telling their teams they need to be there in person.
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, thinks creativity and equality of opportunity are the keys to unlocking the city's potential.
Law firm partner, Geoff Busch, says most of his team are already back working on-site.
Graduate, Katie Procter, has had to work remotely for much of the first year of her role.
Chief Executive, Matthew Cockram, believes that the office is where an organisation builds its culture.
Britomart conducts regular research projects pertinent to the future of the central city and the future of work. You can read these via downloadable PDFs or the individual interviews on this website.
• City Futures (published April 2022) speaks to nine city leaders about central Auckland's post-Covid future (PDF here)
• Three views on the future of work (published May 2023) interviews three experts about the future of work and the importance of work as a social connector (PDF here)
• This is how we want to work now (published September 2023) is an interview with five workers under 30 about what they want from their workplaces (PDF here)
• This is our place (published July 2024) interviews 17 central city residents about their neighbourhood and its future (PDF here)
