Transforming Queens Wharf's cool shed into a "Cool Shed"

At the end of Queens Wharf stands what is generally known by Ports of Auckland as "the cool shed". Inside it contains a purpose built cool room often used to hold bananas and other fruit and vegetables that need to be kept cool to prolong their lives before being onsold to shops for distribution.... So. With all the talk about Queens Wharf, I decided to have a play with it. How could it be reused....?

Here it is with a paint job. Kept the life buoy. And cleaned up those big roller doors. Won't it be great when we can cycle round the edge, and take the dog for a walk....

This is the western edge of the cool shed. The sunny afternoon side. Mostly out of the wind. I thought it would be fun to put some big awnings up. Festive. Adaptable. Adjustable. People appreciate the shade when the sun is high in summer. As they linger to watch the action. Plenty of ferries coming and going. Quite close by too. Recognise people you know as they go past.

There's a few occasional tables here. Not directly associated with specific restaurant. Probably needs to be some public seats too. Maybe against the walls. Lots of scope for that...

This is another perspective. The cruise ship is still moored. People coming and going over there. But a different and separate experience by the cool shed....

And here we see part of the cool shed opened up for business. Can see that the iron trusses are part of the restoration. Popular in there...

This part is a Food Court - much like you can find in a mall. Concessions offered to operators. Low cost take away food - not expensive restaurants. Places to sit and eat outside - under the awnings - on the lee side of the shed away from the wind....

There's room for a few bays like this in the cool shed. One might be for low cost retail. Another might be set aside for a farmer's market. There are options to service these bays from the rear - perhaps service lane/corridors behind the frontages...

And of course you can go through and step out the other side of the cool shed. There's that cruise ship just begging to be looked at...

Or maybe head out the door to the end of Queens Wharf. Check out that view... Find a bit of shelter there. Maybe there's a skate ramp or stage or just a place to sit and eat that takeaway....

Either way, the views are pretty interesting. Another afternoon well spent on Queens Wharf....