Labour’s 100,000 homes in 10 years housing policy is certainly ambitious, and awesome, and downright scary. What could this mean for Wellington? Well, assuming Labour is elected in two years time and the policy hasn’t been thrown in the dustbin, it may mean something on the order of $2-3 billion of investment in Wellington. Christ on a cracker that’s a lot of money. Of course, the…
Councilor Andy Foster writes: “A recent article asked ‘why isn’t there more evidence of progress for cycling under a green mayor’ ? Questions were also asked about how this all fits with transport overall. (Note: Photos sourced by Maximus, unless Clr Foster wants to send in alternatives…) So let’s start with cycling. As WCC Transport Leader from 2007-09 I led development of the City’s first ever…
Yesterday, like the majority of Wellingtonians it seems, I went down to Courtenay Place to see a piece of long red carpet. Not that I really got to see much of the actual carpet of course – standing several rows back behind layers of sweaty little hobbit fans, I mainly had a good view of the back of people’s heads. Nothing wrong with that, of course,…
We’ve had a bicycle-mad mayor for two years now and I don’t think I’ve seen one new bike lane, or any real indication that the council still even gives two hoots about cyclists and pedestrians. In fact our transport planning has just become, frankly, bizarre. For example our city council, regional council, and NZTA apparatchiks seem to think it’s a suitable use of millions of dollars…
With just over a week to go, and a giant Gandalf up on the front ledge at the Embassy, it seems like that it might just be time for another wee adventure into the architecture of the Hobbit. Last time we had an explore of what it feels like inside a nice, dry, warm Hobbit cave, namely Bag End, the home of Mr ‘Underhill’. This time,…
Since moving to Christchurch I have occasionally taken to the streets to take photos of the state of the rebuild. Â No specific methodology, just whatever catches my eye. Recently while I walking around I was taking these pictures when an older lady started talking to me. “I don’t even miss it. Â Between The Palms, Northlands, and Westfield, I don’t need the city. Â I don’t miss it…
I know we can’t really do this, what with Wellington Wind and all, but I do love a good brolly. Here’s a street with quite a few of them ! Reminds me of the buddhist peace flags up during the last Cuba Carnival – word on the street is that somehow, weirdly, two different Cuba Carnivals are being planned – and also that Cuba Carnival will…
Nooooo, you’re doing it all wrong ! Michael Tuffery, esteemed sculptor, visual artist, creator of giant kina nesting on the side of the seabed by the Kumutoto stream – surely you’ve got it all wrong?! Two points that spring rapidly to mind – firstly – this should be underwater, and not showing out above the waves as this picture by glasnevinz today shows it! All wrong!…
Strange how America seems so split over it’s potential next leader. To the rest of the world, it all seems very obvious… If all else fails today, it seems as if Obama could happily slip into a job as President of France… What has this to do with urban design on New Zealand? Well, nothing much really. Except that Europe’s push for austerity cuts seems to…
Submissions are due to the WCC on Monday 5 November 2012, regarding proposals for the Design Brief for North Kumutoto (sites 8, 9, 10). Please DO make a submission – otherwise the NIMBYs may stall further work on these sites. Regarding this, I’m going to write a quick post on public space. It starts here in Wellington: The area we are talking about, obviously, is Wellington’s…