ANZ Tower Courtyard Garden

An underutilised courtyard within a central Auckland commercial tower was redesigned to create a functional outdoor retreat for building occupants. The exposed western-facing environment presented difficult growing conditions, including reflected heat and limited natural ground soil.

Large freestanding planters were arranged to form sheltered seating areas and guide movement through the space, creating a more welcoming and usable courtyard layout. Sub-irrigation tree reservoirs and starter units were integrated into the planters to provide consistent moisture and improve plant resilience in the demanding urban setting.

The result is a comfortable green breakout space that softens the surrounding architecture while remaining low maintenance and reliable year-round, demonstrating how structured planting and controlled irrigation can successfully activate hard commercial environments.