A soaring sculpture installation shaped like a waka to draw ferry passengers to Picton's new "heart" was one of the stimulating ideas architects unleashed at a public meeting in the town last night.

Initial concepts from four architects for the London Quay-Wellington St waterfront site were unveiled at a public meeting of about 150 people, one of the biggest meetings in Picton in years.

Stand-out ideas included timber elevated buildings, structures half over water and half on land, the sea going into the site's centre and a civic building on "legs" seeming to hang in the air.

Concepts included open public spaces, separate kiosks for commercial operators, a community building with a theatre for travelling shows, a tower containing a gallery and meeting room.

All the concepts featured some type of community and library building to draw tourists and locals to the site.

The designs feature restaurants, arts and craft shops, but these would be up to market forces that would drive such things at the time.

Everyone last night was gripped by a sense of purpose and there was a real buzz in the air.

The architects were Australian company dKo, New Zealand architects Warren and Mahoney, Jasmax and the Tse Group.

They all had different styles of presentation and highly creative versions of what the site could look like.

But they all envisage the London Quay-Wellington St site as the civic centre of the town, a conclusion that looks set to change the dynamics for Picton forever.

Australian architect Koos de Keijzer of dKO was asked from the floor if such concentration on this site would cause other parts of the town to die.

Mr de Keijzer said the site was a "fundamental knuckle in the town" and his company's story was about giving the town a heart that it did not currently have.

"Other parts of the town won't die but they will change," he said.

Meeting chairman Chris Elphick of [email]Future@Picton[/email] said people would get their say on the concepts at a talking walls project at a High St shop which would kick off on July 10 and run through the month.

Judging by questions from the floor people found the concepts creatively exciting but short on detail, particularly car parking and movement of freight and people to and from the Sounds.

Mr Elphick said these types of details were to be thrashed out in the coming weeks and months.

"Let's get the debate going," said Mr Elphick.

Community feedback would be taken into account by an assessment panel that would make a recommendation to the Marlborough District Council in August, he said.

The recommendation could be for one, none, or a combination of the received designs.

There will also be another chance for public input before any final decisions about the site are made.

Last night's meeting did not give the costs of the project ideas, or where the money would come from.

The site includes some reserve land and the rest is council owned.

Options may include selling off parts of the land, joint ventures or leases.


SOURCE: By DEE WILSON