“It’s a moveable, floating, social and ecological infrastructure that supports swimming, events, performance, occupation and delight,” Crothers says. “Auckland’s landscape consists of a dramatic and sculptural field of geological volcanoes and a flooded harbour system of rhythmical headlands and bays. However the city centre’s waterfront has been highly modified and access to the water’s edge compromised over time.

“Island establishes a sculptural form juxtaposed against the highly modified and constructed urban water’s edge. It invites re-occupation of the cities blue water spaces. A water based social and ecological strategic activation device that blurs boundaries between land (whenua) and sea (moana). It is able to be positioned in a variety of water’s edge locations to provide a program of constantly changing experiences.

“Islands is ecological provocative, and promotes environmental issues such as water quality that affect the city centre. A sub-surface marine forest establishes a new ecological island habitat that supports harbour biodiversity. Island can be a catalyst for a range of ecological enhancements to the Auckland’s urban waterfront.”

He says Islands is culturally resonant. ‘Motutere’ is a maori word for island. ‘Motu’ means to sever and ‘tere’ means to drift.

Island is experimental and will involve the testing and trialling of new construction methodologies and embrace New Zealand’s traditions of sea faring, boat building, innovation and exploration, Crothers says.