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Te Komititanga looking towards Queen Street, 2026

Te Komititanga is a major paved pedestrian public square located in Auckland CBD, Auckland, New Zealand. It is located at northern terminus of Queen Street and is adjacent to Waitematā railway station and the Commercial Bay Shopping Centre.

Formerly known as Queen Elizabeth II Square (QEII Square), the area was renamed Te Komititanga and officially reopened in December 2020 following a major urban revitalisation project connected to the City Rail Link development.[1]

Naming

The name Te Komititanga was gifted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and the City Rail Link's mana whenua forum.[2][3] Translating to "to mix" or "to merge", the name is meant to symbolise both the meeting of cultures and the meeting of Waitemata Harbour and the Waihorotiu stream.[4]

History

Queen Elizabeth II Square

The site served as Lower Queen Street between Customs Street and Quay Street, with both trams and cars running along it. The Chief Post Office was completed in 1912 on its eastern side, and the last tram service ran past it in 1956.[5][6]

In 1964, Professor Robert Kennedy of the University of Auckland designed a 5,518 square metre "Queen Square" as part of an Auckland Harbour Board master plan.[7] Although commercial developments reduced its scale, in the 1970s Lower Queen Street was closed to cars and Queen Elizabeth II Square was opened in 1980, featuring Michio Ihara's Wind Tree sculpture.[5][8] Intended as a civic plaza between the CPO building and the Downtown Shopping Centre, the plans were met with some protests regarding the potential creation of wind tunnels and shadow on public spaces.[7]

Between 2000–2003, as part of the Britomart Transport Centre development, Queen Elizabeth II Square was partially demolished and Lower Queen Street was reopened to traffic to establish a surface-level bus interchange and roadway.[9][10][11] The Wind Tree sculpture was removed and later relocated to the Wynyard Quarter.[12]

Redevelopment and CRL Construction

Between 2015–2017, Auckland Council sold the remaining QEII Square site to Precinct Properties as part of their Commercial Bay development.[13][14][15][16] The bus interchange was to be moved to Lower Albert Street, in order to make room for a pedestrianised civic space.[17]

Lower Queen Street was converted into a new public square, removing vehicular traffic. The completed square was officially opened to the public on 18 December 2020, following a dawn blessing by mana whenua. The ribbon-cutting was overseen by then-Mayor Phil Goff and Minister for Transport Michael Wood.[18][19]

Te Komititanga

Pedestrian counts through the square have increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic.[20] Pedestrian counts increased from 445,686 in November 2024 to 719,341 in November 2025, alongside 438,000 more at its Quay Street end.[20] Its success has been attributed to the positive impact of pedestrianisation.[21]

Between November 2024 and January 2025, Te Komititanga was home for the first time to Te Manaaki, an 18-metre tall civic Christmas tree. Co-funded by Auckland Council, Heart of the City, and Precinct Properties at a total cost of up to $1.3 million, the installation drew criticism over its price tag but was established as an annual tradition for Downtown Auckland.[22][23][24]

Since its opening, Te Komititanga has been the site of several public demonstrations, including pro-Palestine protests in February 2024 and 2026,[25][26] against the Fast-track Approvals Act in June 2024,[27] and against the Iran war in April 2026.[28]

Design and features

The paving design at Te Komititanga incorporating traditional patterns

The design of Te Komititanga incorporates Māori art and symbolism throughout its paving and layout:

  • Whāriki (welcome mat): The square features a large-scale stone paving pattern depicting a traditional woven harakeke (flax) mat, symbolising a place of welcome for visitors arriving in Auckland. It was developed in partnership with Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki weaver Tessa Harris, who developed the patterns in collaboration with weavers from Te Ākitai Waiohua, Ngāi Tai ki Tamaki, Ngāti Te Ata and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.[29][30]
  • Poutama & stream patterns: The central paving pattern is the Poutama, meant to symbolise learning and achievement.[31] Blue and grey basalt paving depicts the Waitematā Harbour to the north and the historic Waihorotiu Stream to the south, marking their meeting point prior to reclamation.[32]

Surrounding landmarks

Te Komititanga is bordered by several Auckland landmarks and transit hubs:

References

  1. ↑ Hutt, Kendall (2020-12-18). "Te Komititanga: Square opens in downtown Auckland with mana whenua narratives" (in en). https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/123741802/te-komititanga-square-opens-in-downtown-auckland-with-mana-whenua-narratives. 
  2. ↑ "Te Komititanga" (in en). https://www.aucklandnz.com/explore/te-komititanga. 
  3. ↑ Hutt, Kendall (2020-12-18). "Te Komititanga: Square opens in downtown Auckland with mana whenua narratives" (in en). https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/123741802/te-komititanga-square-opens-in-downtown-auckland-with-mana-whenua-narratives. 
  4. ↑ "Te Komititanga | Heart of the City" (in en). https://heartofthecity.co.nz/transforming-city/lower-queen-street-square. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 L, Matt (2020-12-21). "Te Komititanga and views from the past" (in en-NZ). https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2020/12/22/te-komititanga-and-views-from-the-past/. 
  6. ↑ Duncan, James (2021-06-24). "MOTAT’s Queen of the Rails" (in en). https://www.motatsociety.org.nz/post/motat-s-queen-of-the-rails. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Rose, Dr Elizabeth Aitken (2024-07-20). "If you want to know how Auckland was shaped, follow the money" (in en-US). https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/07/20/if-you-want-to-know-how-auckland-was-shaped-follow-the-money/. 
  8. ↑ "Queen Elizabeth Square | City public spaces | Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand" (in en). https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/22956/queen-elizabeth-square. 
  9. ↑ Hutt, Kendall (2020-12-18). "Te Komititanga: Square opens in downtown Auckland with mana whenua narratives" (in en). https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/123741802/te-komititanga-square-opens-in-downtown-auckland-with-mana-whenua-narratives. 
  10. ↑ "Britomart has an AMAZING History ...". http://www.britomart.co.nz/history4.html. 
  11. ↑ Urban Design Case Studies Template:Webarchive – New Zealand Ministry for the Environment, March 2005, Template:ISBN
  12. ↑ Ihara, Michio. "Wind Tree" (in en). https://www.aucklandpublicart.com/artworks/2237. 
  13. ↑ Orsman, Bernard. "Architects challenge sale of Queen Elizabeth Square" (in en-NZ). https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/architects-challenge-sale-of-queen-elizabeth-square-in-environment-court/YYD2XR2WL2YPIDG2Y3Y73CU6HI/. 
  14. ↑ Rose, Dr Elizabeth Aitken (2024-07-20). "If you want to know how Auckland was shaped, follow the money" (in en-US). https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/07/20/if-you-want-to-know-how-auckland-was-shaped-follow-the-money/. 
  15. ↑ Orsman, Bernard. "Queen Elizabeth Square: Where to from here?" (in en-NZ). https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/questions-mount-over-the-sale-of-queen-elizabeth-square/ZLIYQZTF2GEKQUNMRA3HKBJYLY/. 
  16. ↑ Aotearoa, RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o (2015-02-25). "Auckland's QE Square sold for $27 million" (in en-nz). https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/regions/267030/auckland's-qe-square-sold-for-$27-million. 
  17. ↑ "Media Releases Pre-2017" (in en-US). https://www.cityraillink.co.nz/media-releases-pre2017. 
  18. ↑ OurAuckland. "Te Komititanga opens for Aucklanders" (in en). https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2020/12/te-komititanga-opens-for-aucklanders/. 
  19. ↑ Hutt, Kendall (2020-12-18). "Te Komititanga: Square opens in downtown Auckland with mana whenua narratives" (in en). https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/123741802/te-komititanga-square-opens-in-downtown-auckland-with-mana-whenua-narratives. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Te Komititanga just proved again that it’s now Auckland’s town square" (in en). https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/04-12-2025/te-komititanga-just-proved-again-that-its-now-aucklands-town-square. 
  21. ↑ "Te Komititanga just proved again that it’s now Auckland’s town square" (in en). https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/04-12-2025/te-komititanga-just-proved-again-that-its-now-aucklands-town-square. 
  22. ↑ "What you need to know about Auckland’s new $1m Christmas tree" (in en-NZ). https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/what-you-need-to-know-about-aucklands-new-1m-christmas-tree-in-te-komititanga-square/B4BOU34YU5FL3DKHNMXPBWVMTY/. 
  23. ↑ OurAuckland. "Queen Street becomes a magical pathway of festive light" (in en). https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2025/11/queen-street-to-become-a-magical-pathway-of-festive-light/. 
  24. ↑ Franks, Raphael. "Million-dollar Christmas tree: Auckland Council criticised for 'incredibly high price tag'" (in en-NZ). https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckland-council-criticised-over-million-dollar-christmas-tree-for-lower-queen-st/JHVC4IW6EVFLBNWJVP3TY2AXNA/. 
  25. ↑ "Imitation body bags, fake blood outside Auckland city train station for Gaza protest" (in en-NZ). https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pro-palestine-protest-occupies-central-aucklands-te-komititanga-square-during-latest-rally/FZF3RDPYXJEK3BBX2NTDGKLVEI/. 
  26. ↑ Aotearoa, RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o (2026-01-31). "Twin protests set to cause traffic woes for Auckland" (in en-nz). https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/regions_auckland/585480/twin-protests-set-to-cause-traffic-woes-for-auckland. 
  27. ↑ Saturday; June 8; Block, 2024 • ByGeorge; Howie, Cherie; NZME. "‘They have betrayed us’: enormous Auckland protest against fast-track bill" (in en). https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2024/06/09/they-have-betrayed-us-massive-auckland-protest-against-fast-track-bill/. 
  28. ↑ editor, A. P. R. (2026-04-04). "Protesters condemn Luxon govt for failing to condemn illegal war on Iran | Asia Pacific Report" (in en-US). https://asiapacificreport.nz/2026/04/04/protesters-condemn-luxon-govt-for-failing-to-condemn-illegal-war-on-iran/. 
  29. ↑ Haddon, Olivia (2021). "Te Paparahi, Toi Māori". Auckland Council. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58e441d2f7e0abde3be51110/t/63e07875affa0824ea0648b6/1675655328911/Te+Paparahi-Toi+M%C4%81ori_2021_email+version2.pdf. 
  30. ↑ Template:Cite q
  31. ↑ "Te Komititanga". https://landezine-award.com/te-komititanga/. 
  32. ↑ OurAuckland. "Te Komititanga opens for Aucklanders" (in en). https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2020/12/te-komititanga-opens-for-aucklanders/. 
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