I’ve just found out that Wellington Civic Trust is once again holding its Awards this year, and nominations are open once more: click here. Last held in 2005, perhaps there hasn’t been enough exciting public work for the Trust to have had Awards for the last couple of years – however, surely there are enough to give awards by now. Last time, there was a simple division between the awards, with two: the Civic and Corporate Award, and the Community and Volunteer Award. The former was won by the fantastic Oriental Bay enhancements (such as the Changing Rooms, Walkway, Beach, and Mural), while the later was won by Carl Gifford with his (to me) excresence of old boulders and scrap iron in Happy Valley. Awards will be made on 18 September: this year the categories are much wider, with categories for best Building, Heritage, Environmental, Street Art, and Public Space.
Some curious categories there perhaps – there is a separate nomination for best Sculpture, with a fine selection of nominations of Wellington’s incredible sculptural record in recent years. So: Street Art then: do they really mean graffitti? Wildest Tag? Best Wildstyle? Fanciest Paste-Up? I would have thought that Civic Trust might be a slightly conservative organisation, and not that keen on graffitti, but perhaps I’m wrong. I look forward to seeing who steps up to claim their award for best Street Art…
Some of the other categories may be a little constrained. How many Heritage projects have been completed in the last 3 years? How many of those are worthy of an award? Suggestions welcome here – and nominations welcome at Civic Trust. Environmental is another curious category – there are two well known buildings that have been heavily publicised in the last couple of years, but I’m not sure how many others there are. And lastly but not least of course – best Building. There are a lot of apartment buildings, of pretty mixed worth, and a few office buildings, some better than others. We here at the Fish, and the Civic Trust as well, look eagerly to your comments and nominations.
Heritage project nominations? The Wellingtonian / Comfort Inn springs to mind as a pretty good job of reworking the old People’s Palace, while the renovation of the old Museum in Buckle St was a great job – not sure when it was completed though. But I can’t think of too many more. Most of the older buildings in Wellington are going to come under pretty heavy artillery fire over the next few years, as the revised earthquake regs come into force. We should decide which ones are worth keeping while they’re still around to keep…
I’m curious though, about the nominations for best Public Space. Does Courtenay Place count? Even on a Saturday night at 3am? What about Cuba St – does it count, even if the orange bricks are slippery and dangerous to young fools swimming in the bucket fountain? Or do they mean public space such as the Mt Vic lookout, or the beach at Llyall Bay?
…and, nominations have now closed. We’ll have to find out in September if / what / who was nominated, and who won one !
Hope you can make it to the awards on Thursday night – the 18th September 5.30pm at the Oceanic Room, Level 3, Te Papa…
Cocktails? Tiki Bar?
We’ll try to get someone from the Fish to attend. Is this a black tie and tux function?
Can you send us a press release just in case we can’t make it?
There will be a Te Papa run bar open….and there should be a diverse range of people in a diverse range of attire….
Will send you the press release a-sap.
Award winners announced here, courtesy of an attendee on the night.
http://eyeofthefish.org/civic-trust-award-winners/