‘Beamed down saucer-like from the skies’ – to quote a residents’ group – Skylid has landed.
The new circular structure, appearing to hover above the ground, now sits in front of Waitematā Station’s striking eastern entrance. Once construction is fully complete in February 2026, the glass atrium will open into a new square – Waitematā Station Plaza.
Designed in partnership with mana whenua, the Skylid carries a sand-blasted design depicting the movement of converging waters. It was blessed last week with a dawn karakia led by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and a celebration of this interim construction milestone.
The design was created by celebrated artist Graham Tipene (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Manu), who calls his latest mahi toi “a map.”
“It's a map of the historical waterways coming together. I want this to open the lid on what we have down here in this part of town.
“The design talks about the Waihorotiu stream. When the stream meets the harbour, the waters of the harbour have a different behaviour. They have tides, whirlpools and swirls which you’ll see in the design. The centreline represents the meeting place of these two waters,” Tipene says.
“And then it talks about the fish life and being able to gather food to nurture others. The long lines talk about the pursuit of excellence and knowledge. The dips in the line-work talk about disruption and how we navigate disruption,” he says.
Eight metres in diameter, the two parts of this 31-tonne concrete structure were skilfully crane-lifted into position in September.
The plaza, with its central Skylid feature, is expected to become a favourite lunch-spot and place to pause. It sits between two larger squares – Te Komititanga and Takutai Square, already favourite public spaces in the city centre’s waterfront precinct.
The Auckland Council group has worked with City Rail Link Limited to ensure the station’s surrounding streets and spaces are upgraded and ready for the influx of people expected to arrive at Waitematā Station when CRL opens in the second half of 2026.
Some safety fencing will surround Waitematā Station Plaza until the works wrap up and the area is formally opened in February, but the central Skylid is already open to the public.
The making
Experienced in the delivery of complex public space projects like this in the city centre, John Fillmore Contracting (JFC) are delivering Waitematā Station Plaza on behalf of Auckland Council and City Rail Link Limited.
Jagas Paving and Precast Ltd built the Skylid, with the design expertly executed by their in-house sandblasting team.
“With the pūhoro pattern extending beyond the size of any single steel sheet, we shaped the design in segments and carefully welded them together so the flow of the pattern remained true to its cultural meaning.
“We have a director, Dev Singh, who thinks outside the square. He works out how to do this work with precision but also keeps costs down for everyone as well,” she says.
Indigenous art
Graham Tipene reflects on the opportunity to meet global indigenous whānau during the World Indigenous Peoples' Conference on Education (WIPCE) 2025 hosted in Tāmaki Makaurau in November.
Some of the delegates viewed two of Tipene’s most recent artworks - Waka Moana in Wynyard Quarter and Waimahara in Myers Park – helping them imagine new ways to express themselves in their own urban design.
“It was a great weekend. When we experienced Waimahara together, a few people were crying. We all understood our collective connection to water and our responsibility to water,” Tipene says.
“They all have the same excellence. They're just looking at ways to express that excellence. And if they can get inspiration from us, so be it. They saw how you can express yourself in a wider cityscape, in a classy way. If everybody else that's involved is on board, which I think is key, you have allies. I think we have that advantage down here,” he says.
