Normal transmission will be resumed shortly. In the mean time, ponder this:

Not a very architectural image, to be sure, but an inspiring one none the less: if the Maximus is to get back a figure like this, then we need to get off our butts and away from the keyboard. It is increasingly difficult to write about design in a city which pays only lip service to it: although I’m not the Political Busker, I’ve also been incredibly depressed about the crap proposal that has been railroaded through Manners Mall without any evidence of good design.…

We’ve had a couple of comments recently about the site being infected, and have updated things so it should be alright. It’s hard for me to tell if there is anything wrong with the site – its not like there is a giant animated green troll that bleurgs it’s way out of the screen and warns us. But here we are, cleansing away, ready to start blasting the dimensional portal while crossing the proton streams to reverse the particle flow, desplurging the cosmic array and uploading the assorted grunge into the containment grid in the basement…

Anyway…

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. Although the DomPost reported that that was being considered, it is not really an answer. They might be able to go from a capacity of say, 3000, to say, 4000: but what they really need is to…

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…

Poor old Auckland – even though I can’t stand the place, it is almost getting my vote of sympathy this week. First up, some good news: they’ve banned Vuvuzelas from Eden Park. Personally I think they should bring in a mandatory shoot-on-sight policy for anyone found wielding one, but that might be a little harsh for a $2 piece of plastic.

But secondly, time for some Brickbats. I heard on the radio this morning someone blaming “Wellington” for the latest stuff-up on the beleagured Queens Wharf debacle / shed wrangle / utter series of unmitigated cock-ups.

…

Things have gone very quiet in Serepisos land lately, with not much talk of building the tallest tower in Wellington as a memorial to himself. I’m assuming that perhaps some temporary cashflow troubles may have put a temporary end to that particular dream. And, hopefully, to an end to the ghastly Apprentice spin-off.

But it did get me thinking about tall towers. I’ve always been quite scathing of Auckland’s SkyTower – so were most people in Auckland, until they realised that they could use it as a homing beacon when they’re driving home. At least, they can…

While I went out on a limb recently with a post regarding the Foreshore and Seabed Act, there was some good reactions. Within hours of our post and ensuent discussion on the unfairness to some, the NZ Government announced that it would repeal the Act. Hooray! At least, I think hooray.

While I’m happy that the Government and the Maori Party initially seemed to be agreeing with what the Fish had proposed, things are getting a little bit pear-shaped and ugly round the edges with later announcements. The day after, one Iwi said: We’re having all the East…

The number of tower cranes in Wellington has come down by one, in a surprise move last weekend. I’m a little mystified why it has come down so soon – its not as if there is a rush on with tower cranes at the moment, and its likely to just go to a yard somewhere and sit there rusting for a while. But even more than that – the job’s far from finished. Curious.

I’m talking about the new Telecom building in Willis St of course – sorry: Willis Central – the one with the crinkly cladding.…