Victoria Market Visit
Victoria Park Market Vist
So I spent my morning wandering around Victoria Park Market for my site. My first impression, it’s super industrial. Lots of heavy brick and stone everywhere, but then you’ve got these trees and plants breaking it up, which makes the whole place feel way calmer and more natural.
It’s weirdly quiet for a market, though? Like, peaceful-quiet, but also a bit of like where is everyone? quiet. All the buildings are really structured and gridded out, but it doesn’t feel stiff because there are all these little imperfections—stains and marks on the bricks that they haven't tried to hide, which I actually love. It shows the age of the place.
Some things I noticed:
The Vibe: Its really earthy and comfortable. It’s all outdoor/breezy, so you get this mix of smells like faint food from the shops (made me so hungry lol) mixed with the smell of the earth, just like all the plants around you or also the smell of the street.
The Sounds: It’s a total mix. Cars from outside, birds, cicadas, and just the sound of people moving furniture around and chatting,
The Shops: There a wide range of different shops - cafes, restaurants, toy shops, nail salons, music shops, Pilates, and probably more I didn’t notice as much.
The Fairy Lights: They’re everywhere! They all point toward the clock tower, which used to be a chimney back in the day.
The Trees: I found out the Pohutukawa trees are actually the oldest thing there, not the buildings. I feel like that should be a bigger deal than it is!
My Overall take
I really like it here, it’s very aesthetic. But honestly? The entrances are kind of intimidating. It’s like a big block from the outside that doesn't really seem inviting unless you already know it's there. It feels more like a spot for the people who work in the level 2 offices or live really near by and know about it than a community hub for new comers or travellers. It’s a shame because it’s so pretty, it just needs a bit more life at the front gates I reckon.
