The Eye of the Fish

And so the time comes round again: a new building on the waterfront. As sure as hens lay eggs, no matter what is proposed, the aged geriatrics at Waterfront Watch will be objecting to the proposed new building at Site 9, because – well, just because that’s what they always do. And because they have […]

Halloween: All Hallows: The Day of the Dead. What better way to spend the end of October than to celebrate the End of Life? Happy Halloween everybody! Although it seems wrong to my stiff anglo-saxon heritage, to celebrate death, it makes a lot of sense really. Its the most natural thing in the world, and […]

I’m a little shocked and saddened by some of our citizen’s sad and psychophantic attitudes to the arrival of Mr and Mrs Sussex, reacting as though they were someone really important, or famous: like the Beatles, or Elvis. Maybe its because I’m not a 14 year old girl, but the screaming sound of the crowd […]

I’m starting this post with a quote from a friend of mine who has just published a chapter in a book: “A great spatial mixing is under way: the suburbs are urbanising, getting fuller and more varied, adding more opportunities to work and remain there, and, where this is most successful, developing greater local character. […]

I’ve never yet been invited to the Property Council Award night, despite my leading position in the Architectural media sphere, and so I wasn’t there the other night when Press Hall was awarded the grand winner prize. That’s a pity, as I would have liked to be there – to have applauded like crazy with […]

So the news that the former BNZ building on Waterloo Quay is coming down is perhaps not really that surprising – it has, after all, been sitting empty, externally unscathed, for the last two years. But is demolition really the best thing for it? There are no doubt many reports floating around the back corridors […]

Buildings as in plural, because, dear friends, there are more than one. Let’s start with the announcement in the weekend paper, of a new office block by Studio Pacific, to replace the former ICI house that got demolished after the Kaikoura earthquakes. There is a link to the Stuff article here, but in a truly […]

Prescient timing from our last post, saying that I Like to Move It, Move It!! – it appears that our beseechment has been heard, and our prayers are due to be answered. Yes, in a DomPost front page report on Saturday, an article appeared that announced: “Fast-track for light rail to fix congestion“. Young cub […]