Key Fundamentals of Urban Design and how these are showcased in Rolleston

In 2024, Selwyn District Council produced urban design guides to support land developers and guide council decision makers when designing and developing villages and towns in the Selwyn District. To continue to support its commitment to the New Zealand Urban Design Protocol, these guides include key design principles and outcomes to create more attractive, successful towns and cities within the district.

The six key design outcomes for Selwyn’s urban areas identified in the guide are historical and cultural, natural environment, movement, access and mobility, infrastructure and servicing, blue and green networks and built form. Examples of these outcomes are evident in Rolleston’s town centre.

Within the Rolleston town centre, two key design outcomes are clearly legible in new development: the incorporation of historical and cultural values, and the emphasis on movement, access, and mobility.

Firstly, historical and cultural design values ground a town’s identity by creating places that feel authentic and connected to their surroundings. By recognising mana whenua values, heritage sites, and celebrating local narratives, helps to foster community pride and ensure development reflects both people and place. An example of this is Toro Atua (Sentinel) by Areta Wilkinson, a public artwork in the Rolleston (Tauwharekākaho) that draws on whakapapa, kōrero, and traditional mahinga kai practices. It celebrates the life-giving forces of local waterways, especially eels (tuna) as they hold cultural importance in the Selwyn area. The lighting design of Toro Atua reflects the maramataka (Māori lunar calendar), with a special feature that turns off the lights when eels are migrating. The artwork aims to strengthen cultural lifeways and enhance understanding of these traditions.

Secondly, movement, access, and mobility outcomes have been integrated into the redesign of the town centre promenade to create a pedestrian friendly environment. The design prioritises safe and convenient movement for pedestrians, cyclists, scooters, and mobility users through wider shared spaces, lower speed limits, improved intersections and crossings, and a connected cycle network linking key destinations. Car parks are strategically positioned to support commercial units while maintaining strong pedestrian links, with multiple accessible spaces provided throughout the town centre to minimise travel distances for mobility impaired users. In addition to supporting positive mobility, the promenade incorporates Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles through its lighting design, clearly defined public spaces, connected pathways, and open street frontages.

Overall, these two design elements, along with several others, are essential to a successful town and have been effectively integrated into the Rolleston town centre design.