Beresford Square has reopened after almost six years tucked away behind construction hoardings, giving Aucklanders back a refreshed public space at the doorstep of Karanga-a-Hape Station, and showing another glimpse of the benefits that the City Rail Link (CRL) is delivering above ground.
The Square’s reopening marks another step forward for the $5.5 billion project, as more of the city centre begins to emerge from behind the fences. Closed since 2019 to enable the construction of the country’s deepest underground rail station, Beresford Square has been rebuilt as a safer, greener and more welcoming place to gather.
The upgrade features new paving, lighting, seating and tree plantings, alongside a retail space that will open with CRL in 2026 and add to the square’s character as a place to shop, meet and socialise. The design also supports sustainable transport, with easy connections to the station’s entrance and nearby cycleways and bus routes.
Design that reflects place and identity
Like the wider Karanga-a-Hape Station, the square’s design embeds te ao Māori into the heart of the project. The entrance includes te ao Māori in its design, with the striking vent pou, bronze-cast manaia, and a maramataka installation that celebrates the Māori lunar calendar – all expressing a uniquely Tāmaki Makaurau identity.
The square’s paving itself tells a story too: a dappled effect across the square references Tāne Mahuta, god of the forest, acknowledging the cultural narratives underpinning the station’s design.
Partnerships above and below ground
The transformation of Beresford Square has been delivered by City Rail Link Ltd and its lead contractor, Link Alliance, in partnership with Auckland Transport and Auckland Council.
The Karangahape Road Business Association (KBA) celebrated the reopening over the weekend, activating the square with its FAM – art week event on Saturday 4 October. Stalls, music and performances spilled into the plaza, showing how quickly the community has embraced the space.
Looking ahead to 2026
When the CRL opens next year, Beresford Square will be one of two entrances into Karanga-a-Hape Station, alongside Mercury Lane. Passengers will travel on New Zealand’s longest escalator, 40 metres in length, descending 33 metres beneath Pitt Street to the station’s 203-metre platforms. The station will be the deepest in the country, and part of a network that will double the number of Aucklanders living within 30 minutes of the city centre.
Beresford Square’s reopening follows other city centre milestones such as the new section of Victoria Street’s Te Hā Noa green link. Together, these changes are returning high-quality public spaces to Aucklanders and signalling the countdown to 2026, when trains will begin running and the city centre will see the full transformation of the CRL.
