Yes, brought to you by Home NZ and us - following fast on the footsteps of Sharon Jansen - is Roger Walker, architect, Ferrari owner, and tv showman, coming to a Cafe L’Affare near you. Read the rest of this entry »

At this very moment Courtney Place is under “Road Closure” while things are being set up for the glories of the Cuba St Carnival culminating in one of the best Wellington events of our calendar - the Cuba St Carnival Parade.

But this is not only evidence of impending celebration but also a sample of what Wellington might be like without cars in its inner city. There’s been emerging interest in car-less cities around the world, or close variations: Dubai, Ohio, Portland, Canada, etc, etc.

Being completely biased, alternating as I do between being a pedestrian and a cyclist (with the occasional bus ride thrown in), I love these kinds of road closures. There’s a wonderful freedom of safe space, of knowing you can walk or cycle anywhere and not get run over. I guess it might be a rare instance of sanctioned pedestrian risque - not having to look before crossing the road. Read the rest of this entry »

DATE: 15-16th September 2006
SITE: Oaks complex, from the City by Dixon, Cuba and Ghuznee streets
ORGANISERS: Don Roy, Alain Bruner, Emily Reich, Greta Stoutjesdijk, Eloise Veber, James Shaw, Steve Marshall
JUDGES: Gordon Holden, Morten Gjerde, Sally Woods, Louise Ryan

BRIEF:
Irrevocable Irrelevance Is It Too Late?
Unfettered development is rampant!
Our cities are being suffocated by faceless buildings devoid of architecture; malignant clones dotting our urban landscapes that desensitise their inhabitants and contribute nothing to the urban environment.
Has humanity lost its imagination?
Have we become oppressed by these emotionless structures?
The Architecture Centre says ‘yes’ and now is the time to act.
Spear headed by the recently rejuvenated, and already legendary, manifesto the Centre is set to fight for what it believes. As more people are waking up to these issues the newly resurrected Architecture Centre is attracting droves of informed and concerned public and, with the organisation bursting at it’s 20mmm cavities, it is ready to establish a new HQ.
To aid The Centre, Local and National Authorities have (happily) donated some (lost) space. The site for this new Headquarters is the Oaks complex, from the City by Dixon, Cuba and Ghuznee streets. Always intended to be a temporary structure, the now aged Oaks has become irrelevant and decrepit.
As the loudest critic of the state of the city (we heard your derision), the Architecture Centre and its people have requested that you step up and stand by your(?) beliefs. The new HQ is your opportunity to embody the soul and vision of this dedicated volunteer organisation.
As Wellington’s last remaining designers… do us proud.