Excelsa

TYPE
Neighborhood

LOCATION
Papamoa, Tauranga, New Zealand

STATUS
Construction

INFORMATION
Excelsa is a traditional neighbourhood designed for a location in Papamoa approximately 20 minutes from the Tauranga CBD and Mount Maunganui. Designed by studio LFA, Excelsa crafts a careful response to the site’s coastal proximity by anchoring its town centre to the ocean’s edge. This feature allows the sleepy seaside lifestyle where people still fish off the beach for their breakfast at sunrise.

The project was commissioned by Blue Heaven Holdings to serve as the showcase for the adjacent Modena Development, also designed by studio LFA. Excelsa Village remains one of the founding developments in New Zealand to embrace the principles of new urbanism. This unique focus on urban planning combines traditional neighbourhood values rooted in history, with the innovative and cutting edge planning techniques of the future.

Excelsa Village embraces its local context and cultural with the distinctive surroundings of the Tauranga Whenua, resulting in a walkable neighbourhood with a variety of uses. This integration of different uses allows for a range of housing types and affordability, and the opportunity to access the items needed for everyday life without the use of an automobile.

The primary commercial street, leading to the Town Centre Plaza, is oriented to take advantage of views towards the ocean and beyond. Mid and low density housing types are grouped around a collection of small greens drawing inspiration from the traditional English close. Liner buildings frame pedestrian corridors isolating parking areas from the pedestrian realm drawing precedent from an English mew.

The project represents a joint effort between studio LFA leading the design in association with RobertsDay and team of local and international consultancies.