Ah finally its here! The ultimate in no-need-for-your-own-imagination toys for kids (children are so much dumber today)… rather antithetical to the Lego tradition, but then when you can make Hogwarts, not to mention Sponge Bob why not the Guggenheim? Bring on Guggenheim Bilboa!

I picked this up from overthenet blog, who are commenting on the new budget for CNZ coming out in favour of the performing over any visual arts. Perhaps now all art should just be made as Lego, with their sponsorship!

Wet, windy, and wild weather.  Perhaps the only options are indoors, heat and comfort food.  But no  – there’s wacky architecture as well.  Yes we all know about the bizarre things architects do with wind turbines – but if not here’s a few … Read the rest of this entry »

In conjunction with plans for the indoor sports stadium on Cobham Drive (not that this is mentioned in any of the council documents) Kilbirnie town is to become a bit more of  a town.

In the usual fashion the Council plans for infrastructure have no ambition for sending light rail through to the airport; indeed it is clear that the ‘Transit’ route on Cobham Drive to the airport is snipped out of the zone for consultation.

The architecture of Kilbirnie, if it can be said to have any, is lack lustre, and if you haven’t noticed, the Airport Retail Centre in Lyall Bay is booming, dragging plenty of our consuming citizens out east. The social and community space of your average big-box development is pretty awful, and the only thing that redeems the Lyal Bay one is the beach, where people go to walk their dogs. The counsultation process associated with the proposed development is a good opportunity for the Architecture Centre to exert some town planning ambitions. If you would like to forward us ideas just send an email through.

Public consultation sessions will be held at Kilbirnie / Lyall Bay Community Centre in Bay Road :

Thursday 4 June (1.00pm – 4.00pm)

Saturday 6 June (10.00am – 2.00pm)

Tuesday 9 June (5.00pm – 8.00pm)

If you want to submit independent feedback this needs to be returned to the council via Freepost 2199, Kilbirnie Town Centre Plan, Wellington by Monday 15 June 2009. Or use this online form.

Straw House by Sarah Wigglesworth and Jeremy Till.

Jeremy Till claims in his new book that architecture exists in a bubble and ignores the way people really live.

Follow the link to listen to a BBC interview where Till discusses with Laurie Taylor how architecture engages – or fails to engage – with the society for which it builds.
BBC Radio

Urban legend perpetrates the idea of an uncontrollable relationship between women and shoes. Read the rest of this entry »

Those of you with sharp eyes, or even sharp ears, will have seen, or heard, of Deidre Brown’s new book Maori Architecture. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re a student, or a graduate, or even an architect, then this video is for you. We’ve spoken before about how the drive towards reality TV has banalised everything on the box, and seems to drive students to take a degree in forensics and crime scene investigating: I’m sure you realise that they’re really not that interesting. But one thing is: Architecture.  It’s a life choice, and it can be fulfilling. Sure, it can be hell as well. But here, at last, is a reality TV project that’s not completely crap. Watch this – Part 1 of Episode 1:

and here’s Part 2 of Episode 1