[1] Original plans were for a five-storey structure, but after public outrage at the height, a design of four storeys and a clock tower was proposed.

[3] The ferry building was the major departure point for people travelling to the North Shore until 1959, when the Auckland Harbour Bridge was opened.

[6] The more contemporary ferry piers and waiting area were constructed mostly as an open-sided structure with a curved seagull/sail-roof, which together with ornamental "smokestack" turrets is designed to evoke ships berthed behind the original building.

It also needed to be of a low profile to retain building views, and was designed by architect Murray Day to be easily maintainable and expandable.

The initial works found some parts of the structure in worse shape than expected, as saltwater had slowly infiltrated the reinforced concrete.