The Wellingtonista

Random stuff about Wellington since 2005

Tom Beard

On the Venn diagram of life, Tom lives in the vanishingly small intersection between data science, urban design, modular synthesis, writing, gastronomy and meteorology.

A Concrete Legacy

by Tom May 7, 2018

Many of you will know that most of the Karori Teachers’ College campus, designed by the late Bill Toomath, is threatened with demolition by its new owners, Ryman Healthcare. I don’t know enough about the previous VUW/WCC ownership shenanigans to comment on that side, and the practicality of maintaining its role as a community asset are […]

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Shape of the Suburbs

by Tom May 11, 2017

Last weekend a friend asked on Twitter whether anyone had made a New Zealand equivalent of this poster of London boroughs, which took the outlines of the boroughs out of context by arranging them alphabetically while keeping them to the same scale. This revealed both the weirdness of some of the shapes, and the striking […]

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Acting Local

by Tom January 29, 2017

Not that long ago, we thought we’d have to keep a careful eye out for the slow, creeping rise of fascism in America; now it’s coming on as a rapid, terrifying avalanche. The massive, spontaneous airport protests against Trump’s latest vile Executive Order give some hope for the rise of resistance in the US itself, but sometimes […]

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Where the Wild Wind Blows

by Tom January 18, 2017

We’re expecting some severe winds overnight and in the morning, and sensible people are battening down their metaphorical (and occasionally literal) hatches. I saw a comment on a friend’s Facebook page from someone overseas saying “but surely Wellington houses are built for the wind?”, and the answer is yes, but gusts of 160km/h are extreme enough […]

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What Summer?

by Tom January 16, 2017

You’ve heard the complaints. You may even have uttered them yourself. “What happened to summer?” “Call this a summer!?” “Bloody Wellington summer.” And the half of official summer that Wellington’s had so far is definitely significantly less warm than usual. But is it really that unusual, and are we perhaps expecting too much from a Wellington […]

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After the quake

by Tom November 18, 2016

These are trying and chaotic times, but I hope everyone’s hanging in there. Social media means that there’s more information available than ever before, but also that there’s a lot of misinformation and confusion, so we thought we’d put up a quick post to help you find the most official sources. Civil Defence’s WREMO page and their […]

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Winning corner

by Tom November 12, 2016

The New Zealand Architecture Awards were announced today, and while there are few Wellington projects on the list, one prominent development stands out. Zavos Corner by Parsonson Architects Ltd, a low-rise apartment complex on the corner of Pirie and Brougham streets in Mt Victoria, won the Sir Ian Athfield Award for Housing. The judges praised it […]

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So much on our plates!

by Tom August 25, 2016

There’s only three days left of Wellington on a Plate, but there’s still a vast array of festival dishes and burgers to choose from, so if you can face the combined WOAP and rugby crowds this weekend, here are some of our highlights. Five & Dime hide a surprisingly sophisticated kitchen behind their tiny bar, and their Dine […]

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The hidden gems surrounding Wellington

by Tom July 4, 2016

This article is sponsored by Ezi Car Rental, your best option for car rental Wellington One of Wellington’s charms is its compactness, with so many attractions within walking distance. But there are many intriguing and attractive lesser-known places on the outskirts of the city and its suburbs, so if you have access to a car they’re worth a […]

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Mushroom, mushroom

by Tom June 7, 2016

Last week Zealandia published a glorious little photo-essay An Enchantment of Fungi, alerting us to the fact that after a long dry summer, the recent rains have brought forth a rich crop of fungal fruiting bodies. I went for a walk there last Friday and found plenty of variety amid the damp forest, especially on the Valley View and […]

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