Auckland, New Zealand’s city fringe has never looked brighter, thanks to a new, vibrant orange, multi-use residential building wrapped around the historic Orange Coronation Hall in the uptown neighborhood of Newton.
Built in 1922, the Hall was originally designed for the Northern Irish protestant Orange Order, a somewhat controversial organisation to anyone with Southern Irish roots.
The once-tired Newton area has, in recent years, had plenty of new buildings enter the vicinity, creating an eclectic mash-up of architectural styles that makes it more interesting as a place.
But it still lacks the street activation needed to make the area truly lively. Hopefully, The Orange will play a part in helping Newton to regain its mojo. “It’s nice to see this part of town getting a bit of a lift because it’s situated so close to the city,” says architect Ken Crosson.
There’s a strong history of dance in Newton and its neighbouring areas, prevalent today with a handful of mostly-Latin-style dance studios. Thus, it would make sense for Council to promote Newton as Auckland’s hub of dance and assist these diverse communities with street dance festivals and events that draw in the wider public.