Each quarter, we interview one of our TEAM Mates to catch up on what they’re doing, what they’re excited about, and to showcase their business. This quarter we’re delighted to feature Andrew Taylor, of Andrew Taylor Consulting.
Who are you and what are you passionate about?
I’m Andy Taylor, and my company is Andrew Taylor Consulting Ltd. I set up on my own as an independent project management consultant just over a year ago, after about 20 years working for various professional consultancies. It’s been a fantastically exciting year embracing the freedom, independence and fluidity of being self-employed. And of course, one of the great things about working from home is that I get to be more involved with my kids – especially during school and uni holidays!
One of my strongest passions is pushing our industry into sustainable design and towards regenerative development. I love projects that bridge the natural and built environments, projects which are beneficial to the community and enhance the well-being of all those who are affected by them.
What’s great about Andrew Taylor Consulting?
Setting up Andrew Taylor Consulting has been an opportunity to be myself. When my clients take me on they get me, only me, all of me. The buck stops with me and I take ownership of my projects seriously – my brand and reputation depend on it! That seems to have put me in high demand and means I can be quite selective about the projects I agree to take on.
I love working with people who are passionate about what they are doing. My clients choose to work with a project manager who understands and buys into their vision, just as I choose projects that align with my values.
What are you currently working on?
One of my favourite projects (but they are all favourites!) is the Karangahape Road Streetscape Redevelopment. It’s a very cool project because it is so socially inclusive, and the diverse community have been very much involved in the decision making and direction of the design. The redevelopment will include the creation of dedicated bus lanes, separated cycleways, enhanced footpaths, more trees and soft landscaping and an enhanced streetscape environment. There’s an element of future-proofing required, as the City Rail Link will have a station at K Road, and Light Rail will come through here. Karangahape Road will soon be Auckland’s most accessible street as well as its most culturally diverse! The project is 50:50 funded by Auckland Council and Auckland Transport and my role is to oversee the delivery of works as a representative of Auckland Council.
I’m also working with Auckland Council on the upgrade of Hayman Park in Manukau. It’s a large and important public space; Manukau City Centre is changing with the recent development of the rail station, new bus depot and MIT Campus on the boundary of the Park. Hayman Park upgrade is a key project that will help to bring all of these adjoining developments together. The intention is to create a high amenity recreational area that will attract a wide age group to the park and provide an open, green, public space for Manukau Central. Stage One is the development of a new ‘destination’ playground and kiosk building. We’ll also be improving pathways and lighting, upgrading the skatepark and improving the stormwater ponds.
I’ve been working with Auckland Transport on a few public transport projects. I have just completed managing the expansion the train platform at Penrose to accommodate six car trains, to relieve pressure on public transport during special events at Mount Smart Stadium. I am also managing a land enablement project for the EMU (electric train) Depot at Wiri, looking to increase capacity to accommodate the additional trains that will be arriving soon.
I also do some private sector work. Currently, I am working with Argosy on a commercial/industrial redevelopment on Great South Road. Argosy are a great client to work for and have strong principles around achieving sustainable outcomes for their projects, which resonate with me. We’re currently developing concept designs and feasibility studies and are looking at doing the project in two stages to mitigate the risks of the volatile industry and market.
What are you most proud of? What’s your biggest accomplishment?
The first thing that comes to mind is not necessarily my biggest accomplishment, but one of the projects I am most proud of. I delivered the Point Resolution Footbridge around six years ago. It’s a gateway into the city with a beautiful architectural design. It was an incredibly tight programme – just one year for design and delivery – and it was fraught with challenges.
We worked with local iwi who had a historic cultural interest in the site, and also had to coordinate with Auckland Transport and KiwiRail because of the rail lines and road corridor underneath. Then there were the mature trees, the foreshore, an unstable headland and highly constrained site access, which added many layers to the challenges! But we had a great team, a thoroughly engaged client, fantastic architect and structural engineer. The team dynamic was perfect, we achieved a fantastic result and smashed it!
What are you looking forward to doing this year/in the future?
I’m really enjoying the work I am doing, so more of the same, please! There’s so much (probably overdue) investment now going into infrastructure, public transport, walking and cycling. Auckland is changing rapidly. Downtown and the whole waterfront is about to undergo substantial changes in preparation for the America’s Cup. Plus, the rapidly increasing population in Auckland means urban regeneration, and lots of it! It’s a really exciting time to be in Auckland, to be part of its regeneration and shaping its future.
Specifically, I am looking forward to working on the Victoria Linear Park project. We are in early stages – I’m working with Auckland Council and Auckland Transport on scoping the business case – but the goal is to create a green ribbon east-west across the city, linking Victoria Park and Albert Park. It’s intended to balance the needs of cycling/walking transport with greening the city, CRL and other developments.
All in all, I am really thrilled with how my first-year trading as Andrew Taylor Consulting has gone, it’s been a lot of fun and a real breath of fresh air. I am looking forward to see where the venture takes me and quite what the future might hold.
