The underground Karanga-a-hape and Te Waihorotiu stations are the only brand-new additions to the network and are expected to drive significant foot traffic into Auckland’s uptown and midtown CBD.
But Brown dismissed the concept of future-proofing major infrastructure projects.
“Future-proofing is a stupid word. I hate hearing that. Future-proofing is an excuse for wasting money now.”
He pointed to the Auckland Harbour Bridge as an example of staged construction, noting it was initially built with four lanes before four “Nippon clip-on” lanes were added a decade later.
“They [initially] built four lanes because that’s all they could afford but they allowed for foundations so that, when they could afford it, they put another four lanes on. That’s sensible. Build it stage by stage.”
The clip-ons have since required extensive maintenance and are approaching the end of their design life.
Design elements throughout both stations draw on the area’s cultural and natural history, with mana whenua helping shape the stations’ cultural narrative and Māori artists contributing key artworks.
The ceiling of Te Waihorotiu Station’s Wellesley St entrance features more than 4000 suspended golden aluminium rods inspired by the reeds of the former Te Waihorotiu Stream, surrounding a central kauri carving representing the taniwha Horotiu.
Te Waihorotiu Railway Station, in midtown Auckland CBD, is set to be opened later this year. Photo / Michael Craig
Karanga-a-Hape Station features large sculptural kauri snails suspended from the ceiling, with the design drawing on the area’s history as a kauri forest.
Brown described the fittings and artworks as “very excessive”.
“There are ceilings in those. Nobody puts a ceiling in a supermarket. We don’t put curved walls inside supermarkets, just paint them black like anybody else does.
“It’s way too expensive and it took too long, if they hadn’t done that the rates would have not gone up so much.”
His criticisms echoed comments made earlier this year by former CRL chief executive Sean Sweeney who told the Herald the stations had been over-designed.
Former CRL boss Sean Sweeney. Photo / Dean Purcell
“I think we could have delivered this for half the cost, but it would have looked different,” Sweeney said.
“The stations would have looked quite industrial, and they would have been smaller, they wouldn’t have had anywhere near the extra facilities in them.”
‘Nothing but good’ from India deal
Brown also touched on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s whirlwind visit to Auckland this weekend, describing him as “a superstar”.
Although he said he missed meeting Modi because arrangements were “done so secretly”, he said stronger ties with India could only benefit Auckland.
“Nothing but good can come from that so I totally support what the Government are trying to do there,” he told Newstalk ZB.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Government House in Auckland. Photo / Dean Purcell
Brown said trade was increasingly driven by city-to-city relationships rather than national governments, pointing to Auckland’s links with Ahmedabad and Bengaluru.
“The Indians are the third biggest population in Auckland, good citizens,” he said.