Quite alot happens at the edges of our roads. Read the rest of this entry »

He might not be well-known, but if he was it would be for the design of the Freyberg Pool (1963). Read the rest of this entry »

A mid-1960s Archigram film announced: “When it’s raining in Oxford Street the architecture is no more important that the rain.” Read the rest of this entry »

There’s something pretty wonderful about St Kevin’s Arcade on K’ Rd in Auckland.  I think the coffee even tastes better because of the intricacy of the architectural space.  Read the rest of this entry »

Almost every time I catch a bus the thing that strikes me (other than the almost always lateness of Wellington buses), is how inadequate bus stops are  in their design for shelter.  It seems that I’m not the only one thinking this way …. Read the rest of this entry »

At last - Basin Reserve, the Movie:

You can play this here on YouTube:

It has taken us a while, and we still haven’t got a sound track, but at long last we have uploaded our movie on a possible solution to the impasse on the Basin Reserve. Please feel free to forward this link to anyone you might think would be interested. And, we look forward to your feedback.

Following the councils decision to ignore everyones advice except from those that agreed with them they have lost no time in commencing the change process in Manners Mall. New pedestrian calming measures have been introduced into the centre of the mall which also perform more than adequately as holding pens for paving contractors looking to gather up pavers from beneath the pedestrians feet and redistribute them to a place more deserving.

These new street installations also serve to squeeze the pedestrian flow into a space into which it seems less than comfortable, no longer able to promenade we are forced to engage with the edge of the arcade and to confront just how drab and uninspiring it really is. This was not part of the protests and resistance but maybe just maybe it should have been. Now the choice has to be regarding navigation of this edge where you have the opportunity to dally with the red eyed pale faced smokers outside the electronic video wonderland, marvel at the interpretation of middle eastern decoration at the kebab house or visually embrace with the diners at the McD’s amongst other delights. I just cant wait for the diesel smoke disgorging monsters to be added into the mix. The paradise that the council envisioned will surely then be complete.