Body Movie(ing)

If you haven’t yet, I would definitely recommend that you head down to Te Papa and check out Body Movies.

Part of the Arts Festival, the installation projects street photography in combination with the silhouettes of the viewers - producing something akin to overscaled shadow puppetry. Conceived by artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, and sponsored by Meridian Energy, it is the 6th in a series of “Relational Architecture” projects that explore “the intersections between new technologies, public space and performance art”.

Unfortunately, all the photos I took are horrible. I need to get my tripod back…

I’ll restrain myself from launching into architectural theory/analysis; the fact is that Movies is a playfull, interactive, inquisitive and entertaining piece of public art. Although there is something of a game to it (matching the shadows with the portraits), the real fun is in exploring the possibilities of silhouetted poses and motions. Mock fights, dances, push ups and King Kong impersonations seem to be the standard fare, what were some of the more innovative tricks that everyone had seen done?

Body Movies runs nightly from 9pm through 1am, on the Cable St façade of Te Papa. The installation is …

To Build a Painting

Late last year, I had an amazing opportunity to meet Bill Toomath, and explore his Roseneath house. In particular, the building features a dramatic addition - a study room that was designed to replicate a scene from the 15th century painting, St Jerome in his Study.

My impressions of the ‘design den’ were that it seemed very functional, easily storing a huge array of books, as well as providing areas for reading, drawing and computer use. The timeless geometry of the replica seems to fit in perfectly with the modern New Zealand building, just as it did in the original chapel. Furthermore, the room has a great mediation of light, and some stunning views out to the harbour. All in all, an amazing work space.

The rest of the house was also excellent: a 60’s modernist building in Roseneath, clad in dark timber, and the middle of a row of 3 Toomath-designed houses.

The painting itself depicts St. Jerome working on the Vulgate, the first translation of the bible into Latin. Although the translation took place in the 4th century, Jerome is depicted in an environment contemporary to the painting’s time period (15th century). A …

Last Chances

I apoligise for echoing Poneke almost entirely, but today is the last day to submit feedback on the Ngauranga to Airport study.

Enough has probably been said about the study, the response, and the alternatives. If you have been following the issue, but haven’t put through a submission yet, then now is the time to have your say!

The online submission form makes things exceedingly easy, you can address whichever topics you like, to whatever depth you like (none of the feedback fields are required). Submissions close at 5pm

Follow Up: Athfield at Kumutoto

Having finally made my way down to the Waterfront Information Center, I was able to take more of a broad look at the Athfield Kumutoto wins. The pictures and write-up shown in the Dom really don’t give a full idea of the scheme, so here is something of a brief second look at the project. Apologies for the poor picture quality, need to start getting us those press releases….

For me, the biggest reveal was the city-side façades. Site 10 adopts a fenestration patterning similar to that used by the near-by BNZ waterfront project, but breaks the mould by adding a curious glass volume on the North-East side. This glass box seems to extend on from the middle section of the building, as well as linking the upper and lower portions. Almost impossibly thin, the purpose of this small projection is unclear. Surely it is too narrow to be more office space, a space for eating or admiring the view perhaps? Its hard to tell with the current renders, but it could be a dramatic addition to an otherwise unexciting elevation.

The treatment of the ground floor seems somewhat uninspiring. It uses …

Rock 2 Wellington

Today Wellington Airport unveiled the design for “The Rock”, an addition to the international terminal. However this is not just a simple expansion/addition, this is to be “New Zealand’s newest icon“.

The $39 million project promises an array of improvements to the airport experience, having doubled the traffic capacity of the international terminal, and added many new facilities. But the pragmatics of the user experience are hardly the focus of the architecture, the design is unashamedly dramatic, demanding pathos, demanding memorability. Looking at the official and public feedback gathered so far, it is certainly producing on those fronts:

“It is incredibly inspiring to think that Wellington will have a truly iconic building at the doorstep to the city. Hooray to all involved in this highly creative development at the Wellington Airport, as this wonderfully dynamic architectural highlight will be a shining star for our city’s future.”
Richard Taylor, WetaWorkshop

“Wellington is the Creative Capital of New Zealand. We welcome and celebrate creativity and innovation. It’s great to see Wellington businesses thinking outside the square and capturing the uniqueness of our city in this way. I have no doubt this terminal will become a talking point,

…

Oriental Rooflines

Architecture + (plus what, one may ask, to complete the equation), have been one of the busiest architects in the city of late, barring Athfields and Archaus of course. They have recently unveiled the Republic 2 apartments, close on the tail of the Republic (1), which itself followed quickly behind the Monument, which followed the Piermont, and that followed the Portal. Someone’s been spending long hours at work!

More on these projects in a later post. But for now, lets look at the finished results from some of their earlier work for CAS, in two developments around Oriental Bay. The first one, alluded to earlier in the ohtel post, is a successful, but pretty bland and flat looking development on the edge of Waitangi Park. At least half of it is called the Aqua, although i can’t remember the other half’s name, and that’s the crux of this scheme: it is really just one development, pretending to be two, so as not to upset the neighbours.

This has been done by flexing the floor levels up and down (not just done for effect, it as it allows for the entry ramp to the carpark). The two halves were …

Heads Up #2

Our next header image comes from Sinner Photography

Again, if you were interested in having your photography featured, be sure to get in touch.

Stop Transit’s Tunnels - A Summary

Last night was of course, Stop Transit’s Tunnels, a public meeting to inform the public about Transit’s plans, better alternatives and how to influence the process of the Ngauranga to Airport Transport Strategy.

Note: Sorry, its been a busy night, and its 3am….this post will be edited into a more complete writeup with some analysis and supporting material when I get the chance. Check back soon, but in the mean time, here are some (rough) points of what was covered:

Celia, giving a summary of the Ngauranga to Airport Transport Strategic Study

New roads are necessary, there is ongoing traffic growth of 3-4%.
The total budget of the new plan would be $522 million - split $349m for roads and $173m for public transport.
No money is allocated to walking/cycling upgrades.

Sue Kedgley, Green party MP

“If you actually read the fine print of the report, it is trying to solve the problem of road with more road….doubling car capacity at the very time when petrol prices are doubling”

This is the beginning of the Auckland paradox - roads were the fix, but also the problem.
The report is a 30 year strategy, but it makes no mention of oil supply issues.
There would b four lanes all the …

Two Steps Forward; One Back?

Just a few days after a clean sweep at Kumotomo, the Athfield-designed proposal for the Overseas Terminal has suffered a setback when an officer’s report recommended that the project be declined.

For those unfamiliar with the project, the development would create a retail ground level, with 4 upper floors housing 70 luxury apartments. A parking level would also be created on the underside of the wharf, and the public promenade upgraded. Tom’s excellent critique of the project is of course, recommended reading.

The report assesses that in its current form, the project will have severe adverse effects on the environment (assumedly this means both the ecological and urban environments)

“The recommendation for the decline is due to effects on the historic heritage of Clyde Quay Wharf and on existing users and surrounding activities during the construction period. There were also issues around the effects of the proposed building on wind speeds, traffic management, views and construction-related effects such as noise dust, vibration and the release of sediment into the harbour.”

Other problems were mentioned, but the “fundamental” issues were related to the conservation of the wharf’s heritage and the effects of …

New Solace

“I’ve attempted to show the figure evoking a desire to be alone with his thoughts…Naked and vulnerable, his physicality reflects the psychological state that each of us have experienced at some time in our lives. Retaining a classical sense of strength and control he leans almost precariously into the wind over the waters edge. It captures that moment before letting go, both physically and emotionally.”

For those interested: a sneak peak of the new sculpture that will soon be installed at the Chaffers Marina end of the Te Papa promenade.

Designed to form a life of its own as it rusts and ages, the 6′6″ iron figure was created by english artist Max Patté. Max has previously worked on art commission and for various movies, but current works currently works as a senior sculptor at Weta Workshop. More information on the background of the piece is available here.

The unveiling is 6pm Tuesday 12th, with both Richard Taylor and Max Patté speaking.