Architecture

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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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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Notional Significance: Yellow Earth

by Alf Rune September 14, 2015

[See all Notional Significance posts] Wind-hurried raindrops pelt against the Shadehouse roof, which provides but meagre shelter as I wait out the passing shower. Cold droplets descend through green air into the expectant foliage, maintaining a humid atmosphere to feed a pteridomaniac’s wet dream. In a fern-fevered nation this is an orgy of patriotic symbols, […]

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Back to REALITi

by Tom September 5, 2015

Jonathan King and Chad Taylor’s micro-budget film REALITi, which debuted at last year’s Film Festival, is now available for paid streaming or download on Vimeo On Demand. https://vimeo.com/ondemand/realiti/137721192 A dark thriller set in the very near future, REALITi was shot in and around Wellington. One striking aspect (at least for me) was the inventive use it made of […]

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Notional Significance: Lagoons

by Alf Rune August 11, 2015

[Alf’s back after a long absence! You can catch up on his previous post in this series, or read all Notional Significance posts.] The path skirts the six-lane highway, compressed between traffic and hillside, passing beneath stolid, galvanised totems that awaken onrushing commuters to an imminent decision. Soon the curve of the carriageway straightens, but the scrubby […]

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Get Informed About Resource Consents

by Tom September 30, 2014

It’s a common complaint: “how could the Council let people build that, and not even notify anyone?” That’s partly down to a misunderstanding of what “notification” means under the RMA: it’s not just about letting people know, but also the start of a long and complex process involving hearings, lawyers and possible appeals, and it only occurs […]

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Victoria, What Do We Want From You?

by Tom September 18, 2014

Saturday is your last opportunity to make your voice heard on the future of…no, I’m not talking about the elections, but about something more specific to Wellington. In a very condensed consultation process, WCC is seeking your input on the proposed transformation of three blocks Victoria St, between Dixon and Abel Smith streets. And that […]

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Let There Be Light

by Herbertimo August 7, 2014

lux — n , pl lux the derived SI unit of illumination equal to a luminous flux of 1 lumen per square metre. 1 lux is equivalent to 0.0929 foot-candle. I don’t know about you, but to me a luminous flux sounds like it should be a lot of fun. It sounds like a light […]

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Notional Significance: Two Tides

by Alf Rune June 20, 2014

[See all Notional Significance posts] The stream is now fully canalised, a tame channel running arrow-straight towards the harbour, as subtle as an engineer’s ruler. It once meandered across the broadening valley, softly folding into the estuarine flats. On its left bank, the colonial forces built Elliot’s Stockade to oversee the new road, but the […]

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Notional Significance: Asylum

by Alf Rune May 13, 2014

[See all Notional Significance posts] After my detour, I head back to the motorway’s edge. My route takes me along Mexted Terrace—a name that is engraved across Tawa’s skin, and with its twin associations of car dealerships and rugby it encompasses two dimensions of the suburban mythos. On the corner of Tremewan Street, with the […]

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