Arcade spaces in Wellington : a study of the functions that arcade spaces perform in Wellington's central business district

Abstract

Seven arcade spaces from the central city area of Wellington were selected for studying. The purpose of the report was to determine the functions that arcades perform in the city, and what influences these functions. The report outlines the design of the research method used to gather and analyse raw information. The findings of the research are detailed from background reading, surveys and interviews. The data from the case studies was analysed into the trends of the architectural features exhibited in each space. The analysis was then compared with the information gained in the literature search. The conclusions tie all the data together, addressing the aims and answering the research questions. Three dominant functions became apparent after the research had been completed. Arcades act as pedestrian accessways connecting two or more spaces. They act as gathering spaces and as facilities to serve the buildings surrounding them. The common element between the three dominant functions is that the spaces are built for people. All the arcades studied, over all time periods, exhibited this orientation towards use by people. However, the study showed that the latest spaces provide a more complete performance of the functions. The final conclusion in the report states that the decision makers involved in arcade developments have learned that the spaces are for people to use. Consequently, the newer arcades accommodate pedestrians in a more complete way than the older ones.