Perhaps we don’t need to be mean to Auckland and its architecture, as it seems to be quite good at beating itself up. The AAA has been running a competition called Urban Eye, for a written entry on Auckland Architecture. We’re sorry we missed it. Some of the entries are so good, they could almost have been written by the Fish. But no: we’re innocent. Mind…
Maximus
1 Min Read
People power rules. Or so it seems today – if the paper is right, then the Maranui may be about to be saved. We discussed the 5th Scenario here, with some reasonably heated dialogue, but it sounds as though a sensible agreement has been reached. Under a deal announced today, the club gets ownership of the building, along with $350,000 of ratepayers’ money toward repairs, and…
Maximus
3 Min Read
In a possibly controversial move, the City Council variation 11 has been recommended to proceed, by the independent commissioners. The Council itself will make a decision on whether or not to accept the commissioners decision on Wednesday. I’m picking that will be a simple rubber-stamp exercise, and that the Council will go ahead with this. But is this really the right thing to do – or…
Maximus
4 Min Read
Seeing as media mogul Tommy Honey just mentioned this on the Radio New Zealand: National (Nine to Noon with Kathryn Ryan), and in case you’re searching for the discussion he mentioned by Chris Moller: we’ve reproduced Moller’s comment here. Also, if you want to catch up with what Tommy’s going to be talking about next fortnight, here’s a link to the subject we’ve discussed before: the…
Maximus
5 Min Read
I wasn’t going to write anything more this week, but the latest shenanigans in Auckland have me chortling with laughter. So-called Super City – you can keep it. A more disorganised bunch couldn’t be found. But then what can you expect if you have John Banks and Murray McCully in the same room, making decisions on the future of Auckland based on the needs of a…
Maximus
2 Min Read
A welcome to those of you new visitors who may have visited the Eye of the Fish site since the talk at the City Gallery today. The EoTF is a site set up as a forum to discuss city matters (in Wellington) generally, and Urban matters and Design in particular. Feel free to comment on line any time – yes, it can be anonymous if you’re…
Maximus
3 Min Read
Finished at last, Finished at last, Good God Almighty, Finished at Last! It seems like an absolute age since it was started, and who knows really if it has actually been finished, and who knows why they didn’t take the opportunity to go up another 10 floors with some rinky-dinky inner-city flats while they were there but I’m glad they didn’t, and all that aside: the…
Philip
1 Min Read
A quick look at some upcoming events in the world of architecture and urbanism: 27-30th October is the inaugural ‘crit week’ at the Victoria School of Architecture, where the architecture, interior architecture and landscape architecture students present our final projects for the year. In addition, public lectures are running at 6pm on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Be sure to click the image to the right…
Maximus
2 Min Read
Updated – see end of post. A short update on the public meeting in Kilbirnie regarding the fate of the Maranui Surf Life Saving Club. It was a packed meeting – almost to the rafters – and there was no doubt where the crowd’s allegiances lay. While Council officers and others bravely presented information and requested that now was a good time to sit back and…
Maximus
5 Min Read
Following swiftly on from the post about the hole they’re digging, today I wanted to look at what is going to fill it. We posted some time ago on the project (just over a year ago) when it hit the papers, with a hideous green render, and speculated that the building would have a bit more development before it hit the site. And so it has….