In the typical manner of the bus, where you wait forever and then three buses come at once, so it feels for topics of conversation this week. I was going to write, I thought, on the possible move for Reading Cinema and Shopping Centre to leap back to life, having been so moribund for so many years. Then I thought, no, no, what if I was…
19
6
nemo
6 Min Read
This post was going to be called “New School of Music” but then I thought – no, hold on, this could really cause a stink. What if…? Is it? Was it? No, surely not. But maybe….? Who knows? I’ve just been alerted to the revised scheme for what was at one stage known as the new “School of Music” down by the Michael Fowler Centre –…
26
6
nemo
6 Min Read
Arguably, the brand new building on Site 9 at Kumutoto, leased out to lawyers Bell Gully and others, will be the last ever new building constructed on the waterfront. This marks a huge milestone therefore – it is, I think, the last building site identified on the Waterfront Framework. Site 7 became home to what is now the Meridian building, site 6 was presumably the site…
7
4
nemo
4 Min Read
Elizabeth Cox’s book Making Space – A History of New Zealand Women in Architecture is a treasure trove of information, that I suspect will take me several weeks to fully read and digest. The book is a fantastic achievement, spanning the last century and a half, with a number of guest chapters by other great women architect authors, focusing on the amazingly large number of women…
6
3
nemo
3 Min Read
Celebrate! Well done Wellington, for electing a fresh, new, young Maori woman Mayor, Tory Whanau – and farewell and thank you to Andy Foster, for leading the city over the last few years and for battling through with the battle of the factions. I’m hoping that Tory’s ability to wrangle young Green MPs into shape will also extend to wrangling Tamatha Paul and Rebecca Matthews –…
9
1
nemo
1 Min Read
The news was only out yesterday, and briefly mentioned on the news, but I have a horrible feeling that this is going to have a massive effect on New Zealand, and on Wellington in particular. Have a look at this screen grab from the Stuff website: That’s a massive change all over – but especially for the capital. Previously we were the most risky place, with…
28
2
nemo
2 Min Read
Today (Monday) is the last day for submissions on the proposed District Plan that will govern the shape of the city for the next 50 years. You have until 5pm today to get a submission in, and then after that, your goose is cooked. The shape of the city is then set in stone, or concrete and steel, and in some cases, timber or even plastic….
6
6
nemo
6 Min Read
Sir Miles Warren died on Tuesday, the last of our knighted architects. He was 93. A prolifically talented architect, he and his practice were without doubt the major architectural force in Christchurch, having built much of the city through the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Warren and Mahoney were THE architectural practice of the South Island for those decades, and indeed for much of New Zealand….
37
9
nemo
9 Min Read
The other night, cooped up inside on yet another interminable stormy wet wintery night, I chanced across Batman Returns, the Michael Keaton Bat-flick featuring Danny De Vito as the Penguin aka Oswald Cobblepot and Michelle Pfeiffer as CatWoman. I realised that this was Tim Burton film-making for fun and enjoyment, without excess CGI – or possibly without any CGI at all (which just ruins the experience,…
4
3
nemo
3 Min Read
It’s a rare thing for an Architect to become a Mayor – and even rarer for an Architect to become a Knight. We (NZ) have only got a couple of benighted Architects, and there has only ever been one person who has attained both honours. Our only knighted Architect Mayor, Sir Michael Fowler, has sadly just passed away. I was not in Wellington when he was…