The Architectural Centre Inc

Category: Comment

  • Response to WCC evaluation

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    The WCC has issued a report which evaluates Alternatives to the NZTA’s proposal for a flyover at the Basin. Download a PDF to read our response to the WCC report. Arch-Centre_Response to WCC report

  • Mitigation

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    Mitigation is a funny word. “mit·i·ga·tion [mit-i-gey-shuhn] noun 1. the act of mitigating, or lessening the force or intensity of something unpleasant, as wrath, pain, grief, or extreme circumstances: Social support is the most important factor in the mitigation of stress among adolescents. 2. the act of making a condition or consequence less severe: the…

  • Heritage vs Seismic – Who wins?

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    Welcome back to work, and welcome to 2013. It’s going to be a big year. Why? Well, apart from the battle for the soul of the city – flyover proponents vs those who favour something else (read more here), there is also going to be a shake-up in the Building Code over the issue of…

  • Memorial Parkway

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    As slow as government departments move, when they really want to move fast, they can. Free from all the hassle and moans and gripes of legitimate public concern, such as the Resource Consent process, the Building Consent process, an Archaeological dig etc, in order to get the Memorial Park complete by April 2015, a new…

  • a smugly hermetic milieu…?

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    A most intriguing and bizarre diatribe has appeared in the English newspaper The Guardian, normally a paper known for its careful and thoughtful dissection of architectural themes and discussions. Yesterday, however, it printed a page or two out of a book by Jonathan Meades, now available to buy: “Museum without Walls”. I’m not that keen…

  • We Had Better Build Better Buildings.

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    “Built like a brick sh*thouse” was once a phrase used to describe an indestructible building.  Following the Canterbury earthquakes, the phrase was modified and is now used to describe poor buildings: “Built like a sh*t brickhouse”. Most modern commercial buildings performed very well in the Canterbury quakes.  Typically constructed of reinforced concrete, these buildings were…

  • Begone ye Spammers

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    Just a quick note to say that our website has been updated, and (we hope) the spammers expunged for good. You’re free to wander around the site and feel free to comment on our blog. More commentary, at a slightly more erudite level, coming your way soon.

  • Light Rail could be Cheap as Chips!

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    Following stunning news today from the GWRC study into the cost of a possible Light Rail system in Wellington – results have come back that the cost COULD be as LOW as $14m per km. By anybody’s books, that is fantastic news – and means that costs are indeed well within reach of a Council…

  • Knox Church

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    There is going to be a long period of rebuilding in Christchurch – we all know that. Which is why that the importance of getting the first buildings rebuilt right is vitally important. One of the first proposed rebuilds out of the starting blocks is the Presbyterian Knox Church, which really had the stuffing kicked…

  • Developer: it starts with ‘D,’ like ‘devil’ and ‘demon

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    That’s a quote from retiring president of the Cosanti Foundation, one Mr Paolo Soleri. Cosanti Foundation is, of course, the organisation responsible for Arcosanti: