Frank Xu attends CoreNet Global New Zealand's 2022 Symposium Series
We live in a time of change. Our living environments, urbanisation, the pandemic and the enormous changes around us all show that many of the 'norms' we once followed no longer exist. Now is the time to find new paths, explore and push new limits. What does this mean for property owners, designers, suppliers and other professionals across the industry?
We live in a time of change. Our living environments, urbanisation, the pandemic and the enormous changes around us all show that many of the 'norms' we once followed no longer exist. Now is the time to find new paths, explore and push new limits. What does this mean for property owners, designers, suppliers and other professionals across the industry?
The 2022 Symposium Series hosted by the New Zealand chapter of CoreNet Global, the global corporate real estate association, brought together numerous industry experts. With a refreshed style, format and content, the series focused on 'Pushing the limits', seeking answers to these pressing questions.
Frank Xu, president of the New Zealand Chinese Building Industry Association (NZCBIA) and deputy general manager and project director of Shundi Group, was invited to take part in the series. As the only Chinese guest speaker at its third event, held on 2 June, he delivered an engaging presentation entitled 'At Te Tauoma, culture, history and the future are woven together'. It explored how property developers and suppliers are improving residential and commercial environments by bringing culture and technology together.
Frank said: 'Our vision is to create a smarter, more modern way of living. At Te Tauoma, for example, we look to the past, present and future, respecting the land and mana whenua while offering people a first-class modern lifestyle. We strive to play our part in building cities now and into the future. Property has a central role in Auckland's future development, and we need to get it right.'
CoreNet Global is a non-profit association headquartered in Atlanta, United States. Its membership comprises more than ten thousand executives responsible for managing the real estate assets of large corporations in 50 countries. Its mission is to advance corporate real estate practice through professional development opportunities, publications, research, conferences, appointments and networking across 47 chapters and association organisations worldwide.
Outline of Frank Xu's presentation:
200 years ago, a sister volcanic cone known as Te Tauoma stood beside Auckland's well-known volcano Maungarei / Mt Wellington. The area later became a major Auckland quarry. Te Tauoma was extensively quarried to supply stone for buildings and roads, eventually being almost completely levelled.
That is about to change!
On the site of the University of Auckland's former Tāmaki campus, Shundi Group is leading a major property development intended to breathe new life into an area that has stood vacant for years.
On this 8.9-hectare site, Shundi Group will create a modern living environment where culture, history and the future are woven together. Te Tauoma enjoys an excellent location close to a railway station, served by several bus routes and convenient cycleways. Shundi Group plans to develop it in four stages over 10–15 years, delivering 1500+ apartments, 1400+ car parks and an activity centre to create dream homes for more than 5000 people.
Culture plays a leading role in the development. Through four years of discussion and collaboration with mana whenua, the Māori who hold territorial rights over the land, Shundi Group is shaping a new urban story for Auckland. Working closely with Māori communities, groups and iwi, it has developed a cultural plan called Te Mana Motuhake o Te Tauoma. The plan is rooted in five principles: leadership and influence; the natural environment; culture and identity; respect and care; and economic development and prosperity. Every aspect of the project's development will centre on these principles, creating a genuinely place-based, culturally led, people-focused and future-oriented development that restores the Māori name Te Tauoma to the physical and cultural landscape of the city where it belongs.
Alongside culture, a focus on people is central to the project's development philosophy. More than 35% of Te Tauoma will be open space, including community gardens, playgrounds, barbecue facilities and fitness areas, giving residents ample space for public and private activities. To make life even more convenient, Te Tauoma's activity centre will also provide a comprehensive range of facilities, including a café, shared offices and an early childhood centre.
More importantly, Te Tauoma looks to the future, with technology forming an important thread throughout the development. One floor of the car park building will be used for electric car, bicycle and scooter hire. There will also be virtual community facilities, with an app providing access to community news and events.
In short, Te Tauma is more than an apartment development: it is creating a modern lifestyle for residents that brings together history, culture and the future.