8
1
Maximus
1 Min Read

I’m unsure about this. Is it right? Is it in the right place? Is it the right building in the right place? So many questions, so few answers. The architects / architectural designers are Design Club, and there are refererences to local pa in the palisading, local tukutuku weaving in the cladding, and a ships mast in the flagpole structure on the roof. It’s loaded down…

3
2
Maximus
2 Min Read

While the Wellington apartment scene continues on its merry way, with Casino, Clyde Quay, Elevate, Market Lane and the new Nouvo / Nuovo developments all furiously underway (nearly all catering, need i say, for the well-heeled end of the market), the Orclanders are also having a tilt again at the apartment market. Sugartree, a new development of nearly 500 apartments (Crikey!) on Nelson St, is aiming…

6
2
Maximus
2 Min Read

History, never repeats, sang the Split Enz, except that it does repeat, all the time. Time after time after time, humankind ends up doing exactly the same things that our grandfathers did, and follow exactly in their footsteps, only to crash and burn, just like their fathers did. The world seemed to sing out in agreement with the removal of Hosni Mubarak, and then the toppling…

Maximus
1 Min Read

Once again, Wellington has a lucky escape and shows its resilience, by shrugging off what could have been a serious earthquake. As it is, the damage suffered is very light in Wellington, although more serious in Seddon. This photo typifies the damage apparent on at least one brick-clad Seddon house. Yes, an earthquake is an Act of God, but actually: what really is wrong with this…

9
4
Maximus
4 Min Read

I’ve always been a fan of this painting: Carlo Crivelli’s painting of the Annunciation, with Saint Emidius, is an architect’s dream – a one-point perspective of stunning richness of detail and depth of colour. Dating from 1486, and held in the National Gallery in London, it depicts the town of Ascoli (in model form on the knee of Saint Emidius), as he chats about town planning…

Maximus
1 Min Read

I know it feels like it is last week’s news already, but I was looking through an old copy of the Third Edition of the New Zealand Whole Earth Catalogue in the weekend, and discovered this little gem: an article about the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter, before it was even called that. In those days, it was known as the Comalco smelter – still part owned…

6
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Maximus
4 Min Read

So, it’s been a long time since the Royal Commission on the Canterbury Earthquakes released their findings, and the Government released their findings (which differed just a litle in a few key areas). Seeing as there is so much bad news going on at the moment, my guess is that the Government will do a major news release this week, perhaps even today, to take the…

7
1
Maximus
1 Min Read

In a slight break from normal transmission: watching Terminator 2 Judgement Day right now, just having seen Avatar again a few days ago. There is no comparison. T2 outclasses Av1 by a considerable margin. Better story, better script, better special effects, and better acting – incredibly so, Arnie’s wooden acting ability having finally found its rightful home. James Cameron’s recent conversion to New Zillun citizenship, and…

9
2
Maximus
2 Min Read

There have been hundreds of earthquakes, if not thousands, in the days following last week’s Seddonator (TM name courtesy of Eye of the Fish, conflation of Seddon and Dominator). A nice little wobbly number just then (11.10am) prompted me to go to the Geonet website and check – it was a 4.9 in the middle of the Cook Strait again – or, as Geonet say, 30km…