Is this Armistice anniversary the time to ask “Should Pukeahu be formally declared a heritage area?”
The opening of Pukeahu during ANZAC celebrations this year was an acknowledgement of the past but also of the ability of heritage to contribute to the future. (more…)
Following on from my previous comments on the great work of the Art Deco Trust in Napier, its also worth looking at the efforts, some good, some bad, of architects and others who have tried to replicate the art deco look in that city. There were 3 good heritage buildings knocked down, with two of them facing each other on the major street corner of Hastings St and Emerson St. The ANZ was one: it was replaced by a blueish mirror-glass cube with few redeeming efforts at all, except for its propensity to reflect back the facade of the BNZ opposite. Really, only one good thing came out of the demolition of the ANZ (and the National Bank building diagonally opposite): they provided the impetus for the creation of the Art Deco Trust.
What happened since then was truely bizarre: the BNZ moved out of its fine headquarters, to construct a new headquarters a few doors down, with the most hideously bad interpretation of Art Deco ever seen: we’ll not name or shame the architects: it was the 80s after all… (more…)
Do we have any world heritage?
Monday, January 17th, 2011In a discussion the other day, a couple of us wondered if we (New Zealand) had any architecture which could be argued to warrant a World Heritage Listing. (more…)
Tags:art deco, David Kirk, Eden Park, Gate Pa, Napier, nuclear free, Parehaka, Ratana, Raurimu Spiral, Ruapekapeka, Rugby World Cup, Te Wahipounamu, Thatcher, Tongariro National Park, Waitangi Treaty Grounds, World Heritage, World Heritage List
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