*Guest Post by Bill Toomath, one of our well-respected architect members of the Architectural Centre

To gain a virtually realistic experience of what it would feel like to be alongside and under the proposed NZTA flyover at the Basin Reserve one can easily beam down on Google to a similar project at Bucharest in Romania. There a major overbridge was completed in 2011 with a concrete and steel overpass across the end of a main boulevard and extending alongside several streets, all closely resembling the present nature of the NZTA’s proposals.

By going on Google Earth to long/lat 44 26′ 57″N, 26 04′ 09″E one will land at a part of the Basarab Overpass system in the north of Bucharest. One can then move about on Street View to experience from many angles the impact of the structure on the city environment. Discounting its pylon suspension bridge over railway yards and an increase of lanes on the overpass, the structure is directly comparable with the Wellington proposal and conditions. Its bulk and height are similar, as well as the proportions of supporting piers.
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Debates about the Flyover proposed for Wellington still ringing in our ears (the Basin Bridge Board of Enquiry is ongoing as we speak), it seemed like an appropriate time to examine what the underside of a Flyover actually looks like.

The answer seems to be: often Not Very Pretty. Keeping in mind that this is Hong Kong, where graffiti appears to be almost unheard of, and I’m sure that Boards of Enquiry are not held into the building of flyovers, then most of their flyovers are simply grey and uninteresting.

This one (above) is typical, in that conduit for wiring ineviably gets fixed on it for something.

People living under this one. More pictures after the break Read the rest of this entry »