Architecture related newsitems

• • … quiet Modernism

    • 26 Aug 2010
    • Architectural Centre Inc
    • He might not be well-known, but if he was it would be for the design of the Freyberg Pool (1963). But Jason Lewis Francis Smith (1917-1964), who was born in Wellington, India, only to end up working in Wellington, New Zealand, was “closely associated with,” as his NZIAJ obitutary so delicately puts it, with several other large and significant Wellington buildings.
    • Tagged as:
    • architecture
    • local history
  
  

• • Whither Johnsonville

    • 23 Aug 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • There’s some big news from the Council this week, as they debate whether or not to adopt District Plan Change 72 and 73.
    • Tagged as:
    • johnsonville

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 10 comments.

      • ‘Andy, Yep, quite a lot to digest there, so I’ve given it its own post. Thanks for the input. Enjoy that meeting tonight!’
      • ‘Hi Maximus If you want to use this as the start of another blog given it’s length I suspect that would be a better bet. Up to you. I’ve also sent it to Lindsay Shelton at Wellington Scoop. Warmest regards Andy Foster “There’s been a lot of angst from s’
      • ‘Of all people complaining about literary hyperbole maximus, really?’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.

  
  

• • The Syntax of Public Transport

    • 22 Aug 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • Following on from previous discussions on all things transport and urban, I’ve had a play round and tried to depict some of the issues that are striking the city planners and traffic engineers – as well as causing wrangles between Mayor Kerry and Sir Bob Jones.
    • Tagged as:
    • transport

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 7 comments.

      • ‘m-d there are plenty of popular and successful malls around the globe. Ive seen them working in Australia and Europe. Cuba works very well locally. As for Public transport through the CBD. Public trasnport needs a deidcated route that is less impacted by’
      • ‘I don’t think Cuba is an anomaly, I think it exists because it so obviously has some street life to it. Manners Mall, on the other hand, didn’t have a bucket fountain, stage, children’s slide or seats you would actually want to sit on. It felt more like ’
      • ‘Haven’t been able to pay much attention to the internet of late – work and school and carbon footprints all over the country. Can’t say I’m a fan of the new* layout, to be honest, but that could be something to do with accessing it via IE from work. I ha’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.

  
  

• • Environmental assistance for buildings

    • 19 Aug 2010
    • Hutt Chick
    • Eco Design advice is now available for those building residential housing in Lower Hutt.
    • Tagged as:
    • architecture
    • hutt valley
    • conservation
  
  

• • Stop …

    • 18 Aug 2010
    • Architectural Centre Inc
    • Almost every time I catch a bus the thing that strikes me (other than the almost always lateness of Wellington buses), is how inadequate bus stops are in their design for shelter. It seems that I’m not the only one thinking this way …. With the invention of Adshel and its nasty advertising props parading, inadequately, as bus shelters, is there really any hope that public transport might become the prime mode of moving people around the city?
    • Tagged as:
    • transport
  
  

• • The Syntax of Wellington Political Space

    • 17 Aug 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • A quick post today to briefly introduce the subject that seems to have got some people excited: that the WCC has hired Space Syntax to map out conditions in Wellington’s CBD.
    • Tagged as:
    • elections 2010
    • transport

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 5 comments.

      • ‘Maximus -thank g-d for the software -without it we would be unable to resolve the issues in a practical way that many face on a daily basis.The council for many years, with no overall vision, has “enhanced” the movement of traffic so that to move from on’
      • ‘Grumps – for an answer to that, please refer to comments from Guy on: http://eyeofthefish.org/mayor-kerry-speaks/ It seems that no, there are not enough talented planners in Wellington. Nothing to do with Oz vs NZ either – apparently its all in the softw’
      • ‘Why is it that overseas consultants need to be appointed to assess the local traffic issues??? As reported, consultants from Australia have been engaged. There are many examples of Australian cities that are failing in their current public transport infr’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.

  
  

• • Just Manners …

    • 16 Aug 2010
    • Architectural Centre Inc
    • Just as Manners Street is being ripped up (with the sort of silliness which means that the sunny side of the street will have the smallest width of footpath) it’s perhaps timely to have a think about the role the road has played in Wellington’s history. Just after the turn of the century (when Perrett’s chemist [...]
    • Accepted from feed: Architecture Centre news
    • Tagged as:
    • manners mall bus lane
    • local history
  
  

• • Mayor Kerry speaks

    • 5 Aug 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • In response to a recent posting here on Eye of the Fish, and possibly in response to my slightly provocative comment that …. “It is increasingly difficult to write about design in a city which pays only lip service to it,” I’m pleasantly surprised that Mayor Kerry Prendergast has taken the time to add a comment to the posting. In case people have missed it, and because it is, after all, from the Mayor, I think it deserves a little more prominence and so, here it is:
    • Tagged as:
    • wellington city council
    • architecture

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 10 comments.

      • ‘“They do tend to incorporate a good level of design” I guess you aren’t including Karo, but what about Glover and Cobblestone Parks, the Lambton Quay footpaths, the Mt Vic lookout… Actually – that’s pretty much everthing not on the waterfront…’
      • ‘You have a good point Jason. “the frustration I feel at the short-sightedness of Council and mediocrity of development in Wellington is unbelievably high” I think that was really what I was referring to in my comment about a council only paying lip serv’
      • ‘Who cares if the comment was one of campaign or engagement? It’s the mayor, on the record, asking for ideas. If you have ideas, submit ideas, if you don’t, discuss existing ideas. I have some ideas that I haven’t been able to articulate to my satisfacti’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.

  
  

• • Eastbourners right behind new village plans

    • 31 Jul 2010
    • Newswire.co.nz
    • FEARS that plans to revamp Eastbourne Village were “all talk” have been allayed, says community board chairman Ian Young.
    • Accepted from feed: Newswire.co.nz news feed
    • Tagged as:
    • architecture
    • eastbourne
  
  

• • Indoor Stadium options

    • 26 Jul 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • In the interests of being a good citizen, and supporting the search for another possible site for the TSB Arena should it chose to relocate away from it’s foreshore-grabbing frontline position (surely the most pointless place for a ‘black box’ to be), I thought it may be useful to research some other sites around town that have been mooted.
    • Tagged as:
    • waterfront

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 10 comments.

      • ‘Arthur, what a depressing thought. Just as I was getting all excited about the possibilities. And besides, surely you are wrong – how could they get a bigger building on site than the one there at present? Wouldn’t there be howls of protest from all and ’
      • ‘Sadly, I think you’re all barking up the wrong tree. WWL are unlikely to ever want to completely remove the TSB Arena – note, they keep talking about enlargening it, but staying on the same site. If you have a look at your top photo (great series of com’
      • ‘I also like the idea of the Wakefield St option. A building spanning the road would provide enough of a footprint to work for multiple courts and large concert venue alike. Carparking would be a smaller issue than other sites, as, well, they have two car’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.

  
  

• • SuperLink - Transport 2000

    • 14 Jul 2010
    • Architectural Centre Inc
    • We’ve recently been given a copy of the SuperLink proposal by Transport 2000, which was a well thought-out proposal for Light Rail transport in Wellington. All rights are reserved to the original authors : Daryl Cockburn, Brent Efford, & Kerry Wood for Transport 2000, and the Inter-Professional Group. We are very grateful for the chance to publish this scheme again, and get some more publicity for the Light Rail concept.
    • Tagged as:
    • light rail
    • newswirenz RT @wellynews: Architectural Centre Inc - SuperLink - Transport 2000 http://tinyurl.com/37o52cd
    • gregorybodnar Oh. Political will. Who has that? RT @wellynews: Architectural Centre Inc - SuperLink - Transport 2000 http://tinyurl.com/37o52cd
    • timjonesbooks RT @gregorybodnar RT @wellynews: Architectural Centre Inc - SuperLink - Transport 2000: Light rail plan for Wgtn: http://tinyurl.com/37o52cd
  
  

• • Where did I stick my Stadium?

    • 12 Jul 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • Following swiftly on from the news that Wellington Waterfront is even thinking of demolishing the existing stadium, comes the question: If not there, then where? Its clear that the current site can’t cope with much more expansion, given that it is quite a large building already, and I can’t see anyone being particularly happy at the big shed getting even bigger or shedier.
    • Tagged as:
    • waterfront

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 10 comments.

      • ‘[...] ‘black box’ to be), I thought it may be useful to research some other sites around town that have been mooted. All the images have been sourced from googlemaps, and all are at exactly the same scale and same [...]’
      • ‘Come to think of it, I’ve looked up Google Maps as well, and the Newtown Showgrounds do have the space. Transport access may be an issue though. The area above the Fran Wilde Walkway has the space, and transport would be less of an issue. Views, though, ’
      • ‘Leaving light rail obsessives to one side for the moment I like Guy’s line about Newtown’s Winter showgrounds as a possible sporting arena in future – remember that most are there to do and not to watch. A big tin shed up there, covering the carparks a’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.

  
  

• • Basin Reserve Solution

    • 11 Jul 2010
    • Architectural Centre Inc
    • At last - Basin Reserve, the Movie: ac-basinreservecomp It has taken us a while, and we still haven’t got a sound track, but at long last we have uploaded our movie on a possible solution to the impasse on the Basin Reserve. Please feel free to forward this link to anyone you might think would be interested.
    • Tagged as:
    • video
    • basin reserve flyover
  
  

• • Apartments Dead

    • 10 Jul 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • As the song went, “there’s a fine, fine line between pleasure and pain”. And so it is with the apartment market in Wellington, and my compulsion to write on this blog. One minute it seems like its not worth continuing with the blog as nothing much is happening on the Wellington construction scene, and the next minute – oh my god, they’re reporting about possibly tearing down the Event Centre, about apartment projects going phut, about Soso Apartments causing the death of the entire apartment scene in Wellington, the end of the Parade Cafe, the luxurious Pet Palace costing pussy an arm and a leg, and many more.
    • Automatically tagged as:
    • blogs
    • architecture

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 10 comments.

      • ‘When things disappear from websites two options worth trying are: google cached version (just below the normal link in google search results) or the wayback machine: http://www.archive.org/ is this the project: Inner City Residential Concept? http://web.’
      • ‘Davidp – I can see that becoming a feature on the next Jacky Chan film, where the room becomes an active part of the fight scene, as he folds various villains away into storage racks, and new villains come bursting out of the joinery as he goes to watch ’
      • ‘But hopefully not with you still on it ? Aren’t they meant to be the gentle, caring profession?’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.

  
  

• • Good Manners - Just mind your step….

    • 9 Jul 2010
    • Architectural Centre Inc
    • Following the councils decision to ignore everyones advice except from those that agreed with them they have lost no time in commencing the change process in Manners Mall. New pedestrian calming measures have been introduced into the centre of the mall which also perform more than adequately as holding pens for paving contractors looking to gather up pavers from beneath the pedestrians feet and redistribute them to a place more deserving.
    • Tagged as:
    • manners mall bus lane
  
  

• • Dave Mitchell on Wellington circa 1984

    • 26 Jun 2010
    • Architectural Centre Inc
    • Yes its finally online for all of us to enjoy… ‘on demand’… NZ On Screen
    • Automatically tagged as:
    • community groups
    • architecture
  
  

• • Telecom bricks

    • 22 Jun 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • The number of tower cranes in Wellington has come down by one, in a surprise move last weekend.
    • Automatically tagged as:
    • blogs
    • architecture

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 5 comments.

      • ‘The big Lewis crane was owned by a firm that went into receivership. I was told that as soon as the job was done the crane would come out and go up for sale. So my impression was that perhaps they rushed it out to get it up for sale rather than having th’
      • ‘Wild cougars eat fish for breakfast, in the rocky mountains, or so I’ve heard. Reason enough to give them a wide berth. Me? I’m not exactly a piranha, so I’m defenceless against their claws….’
      • ‘Maximus, what IS it with you and cougars? Aren’t you meant to be a fish and not the lusty Ling or Goer Gurnard?’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.

  
  

• • On Malls

    • 18 Jun 2010
    • Architectural Centre Inc
    • The Dominion Post had an article recently saying how K Mart, the giant US retailing store, wants to establish a branch in central Wellington. Given that K Mart stores are rather large, and Wellington CBD is rather skinny and small. It may be that they are aiming at Kilbirnie / Rongotai instead. But it did remind [...]
    • Tagged as:
    • architecture
    • kilbirnie
    • retail
  
  

• • Mind your Manners

    • 17 Jun 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • Well, Well, Welly. Wellington City Council weren’t joking when they said they were going to start work on the Manners Mall bus route. Notice in the paper one day, ripping up those horrid concrete bricks (not one of the design team’s best choices it would seem) the next day. One of our regular readers sent this pic in as they started work:
    • Tagged as:
    • manners mall bus lane

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 10 comments.

      • ‘In a word, No. Must go see. Mollys normally covered in Toucans and drunken teens. Will hunt for fish. Thanks for the fishing tip.’
      • ‘Has the fish seen its concrete cousin lyingforlorn on the ground outside Molly’s waiting to be cemented into the pavement…???’
      • ‘Weeg, its what is being called a Shared Space. There is quite a bit of info written about it as a concept, and also a growing number of examples of it around the world. They’re doing it in Europe, in England, and starting also in Auckland and I think Ch’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.

  
  

• • CML building

    • 9 Jun 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • There was a mention a month or two ago of the origin of the CML building, when regular reader Robyn mentioned that it was one of her favourite buildings.
    • Tagged as:
    • architecture

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 10 comments.

      • ‘Re: the colonial clone building concept… MLC also copied and pasted their buildings… but unlike CML, their buildings still survive… on Lambton Quay (Wgtn), Queens Street (AK), and Sydney (…and possibly more)… What makes the MLC buildings interesting is t’
      • ‘Thanks Robyn for the links to those pics – far, far better than what I had unearthed. Didn’t even know that NDHA site existed. I am amused by the way that Mr Boofy hair is demolishing a stone building, with rocks and concrete falling around him, withou’
      • ‘And a sad photo – the 1980 demolition of the CML building. A boofy-haired moustached fellow glumly sits atop a bulldozer. He knows what he’s just done. http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/content-aggregator/getIEs?system=tapuhi&id=1070689’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.

  
  

• • Rocky road for Cuba Carni

    • 3 Jun 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • Front page news today that the Cuba Carnival is canned for next year, and that the future of the whole event is in doubt: Oh No, Say It Isn’t So! That sucks – it really does.
    • Tagged as:
    • cuba street carnival

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 10 comments.

      • ‘John Key – goodness, is that really you? How did you know that I was always the last one picked at sports in high school (except for swimming, where of course I excelled…) – I guess you had the SIS check me out. The J-dawg bit makes me wonder – you do’
      • ‘[...] and one last thing: there’s a comment on a previous post of ours, that says it comes from John Key. Have we really cracked open the cabinet then? Read on… [...]’
      • ‘For a start Maximus, I’m a huge Wellington Carnival fan, amazing event, many fond memories…But has New Zealand been recognised globally for this carnival? Is rugby not our iconic sport? We are known as one of the best rugby nations in the world. Wouldn’t’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.

  
  

• • Down-size me apartments

    • 2 Jun 2010
    • Capital Times
    • WELLINGTON City is in danger of becoming a modern ghetto, say concerned residents who live by the new Soho apartment development on Taranaki Street. Gus Charteris is the president of the Wellington Inner-City Residents and Business Association, and l
    • Tagged as:
    • housing
    • architecture
  
  

• • Manners Mall submission

    • 19 May 2010
    • Architectural Centre Inc
    • The Architectural Centre has made the following submission : Manners Mall Carpark on the WCC’s proposal’s for the redevelopment of Manner’s Mall. As you may note from the written and drawn information, we were very much less than impressed. We are calling for the WCC to scrap the current scheme owing to its predominate use of car parking, and to re-design the spaces for the use of people, not cars. Wellington deserves better than this from our Council, especially at such an important, central city site.
    • Tagged as:
    • manners mall bus lane
  
  

• • A graceful gazebo: Futuna Chapel, Friend Street, Karori

    • 2 May 2010
    • Salient
    • On 11 April the Society of the Friends of Futuna Charitable Trust opened the doors to what is considered the most significant New Zealand building of the twentieth century.
    • Tagged as:
    • religious groups
    • architecture
    • karori
  
  

• • Pecha Kucha rocks

    • 19 Apr 2010
    • Architectural Centre Inc
    • Last night’s Pecha Kucha was just as much fun as the last one - maybe even more so. The line up I have is as per the following, but I think there is one more person missing. Which is a pity, because he was arguably the best… * Roger Walker // architect / car enthusiast // [...]
    • Accepted from feed: Architecture Centre news
    • Automatically tagged as:
    • architecture
    • community groups
  
  

• • AGM tonight !

    • 19 Apr 2010
    • Architectural Centre Inc
    • Arch Centre AGM is tonight - Tuesday 20 April 2010. To be held at the School of Architecture, 5.30 food and drink, for 6.00 meeting To be discussed: Manners Mall, Basin Reserve. See you there!
    • Accepted from feed: Architecture Centre news
    • Tagged as:
    • architecture
    • basin reserve flyover
    • events
    • manners mall bus lane
  
  

• • Go Directly to Jail, Do Not Pass Go

    • 17 Apr 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • This week has been a notably anti-developer week, a nasty bump in the world of property development.
    • Tagged as:
    • real estate
    • developments
    • crime

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 10 comments.

      • ‘Although, I should follow that comment up with a link to this story: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/3624910/Sir-Douglas-richer-than-the-Queen where it notes that: “Sir Douglas Myers …. , who now spends much of his time in London, had his fortune v’
      • ‘Mechaniker, I can’t let you say that about the drugs – yes, there are rumours, and yes, Terry’s brother has been caught and convicted on drugs charges, but Terry has always denied that. Innocent until proven Guilty and all that. No unsubstantiated sland’
      • ‘I think the added reason many feel no pity for Terry is that he is well known alleged to be involved with drugs and underhanded dealings. Our other local scumbag John McGrath also played the account “in dispute” card on contractors, he owed the firm I wo’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.

  
  

• • Seriously ugly?

    • 12 Apr 2010
    • Eye of the Fish
    • The Maranui is being slowly rebuilt, but the Lyall Bay saga goes on.
    • Tagged as:
    • lyall bay

    • This Eye of the Fish newsitem has 7 comments.

      • ‘On the other hand, the cladding material could be anything at all, and this will still be boxy as… Which is not necessary a bad thing, given the undoubted boxiness of the big Mara next door. Granted, this box does have a hole right thru, even if filled ’
      • ‘While I would agree with Tiler Durden (real name ?!!) that a Portugese underground railway station would undoubtably be a thing of beauty, I think here it is a case of mere functionary hygiene and sea-spray-wipe cleanability.’
      • ‘That’s a good point – I think it has more to do with the tiled domestic bathroom rather than any particular built typology (such as a public toilet/convenience block). The association with the rituals of bodily hygiene is a pretty strong one – probably m’

      You can view the remaining comments and submit your own here.