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It’s official: Patterson Associates one of world’s best

No comments By Nicole Stock on May 20, 2011

ANDREW PATTERSON’S Auckland-based firm has won in the esteemed World Architecture News’s 21 for 21 awards for most outstanding architecture.

The journal named the first five of its top architects world-wide, including Patterson Associates, after studying numerous submissions received.

Juror David West said Pattersons “completely surprised” with the quality of its work.

“But also the ambition – it wasn’t showy, but it was still actually doing something very very intriguing,” Mr West said.

Criteria for winners were that they be outstanding, forward-thinking people and organizations with the potential to be the next big thing in the architectural world, whose directional ideas are helping shape the future of architecture while being sustainable and commercially viable.

Mr Patterson said he was still in shock when he shared the good news with Selector.

“It is kind of hard to believe as this is the kind of program that you apply for as a very long shot indeed. We submitted a portfolio of our work and an essay essentially explaining our design philosophy in February and then we were asked to submit more information in March,” Mr Patterson said.

The judging panel consisted of what Mr Patterson called some of the world’s architectural leading lights.

“[Judges were] the guys my firm hero worships including Patrick Schemer of Zaha Hadid- the Architects of Romes new MAXI Museum and current holder of the Royal Institute of Architects Gold Medal, Grant Brooker who represented Foster Associates – designers of The Reistaad, the Meleax Bridge and the Hong Kong Airport, and David West who sits on the London 2012 Design Review Panel, the Design for London Urban Design Panel and the British Royal Institute of Architects Futures Steering Group,” Mr Patterson said.

Some of Patterson Associates’ most well known work includes the Mai Mai Folly house in Freemans Bay, cliff-top Parihoa House in West Auckland and Parnell commercial building Cumulus.

NZIOB Golf Day

No comments By Mark Longley on February 17, 2011

THERE CAN'T have been much building work going on in Auckland on the 15th February, as most people in the industry seemed to be at the annual NZIOB PlaceMakers Golf Day at Remuera Golf Club.

Almost 150 construction industry professionals teed off on what became a blisteringly hot day. The standard was varied, with some less experienced golfers struggling to get past the ladies tee. Others were hitting shots that Tiger would have proud of.

The event is as much social as a serious golf day. Local industry rivalries are put to one side in the name of a fun golf day.

There were a number of competitions, including longest drive, straightest drive and best putt. The PlaceMakers Sponsors Cup for the best score was fittingly won by PlaceMakers Cook St.

Gunning for gold at the Olympic Stadium

No comments By Mark Longley on January 20, 2011

IN AN effort to kill two birds with one stone the London Olympic Stadium is using recycled knives and guns as a construction material. Not only does this add to the stadium's already extensive green credentials, but it also solves a problem of what to do with the some 52 tonnes of guns and knives that have been confiscated by the Metropolitan Police in just one year.

Gun and knife crime is a serious problem in London and the police regularly hold an "Amnesty" period, where the lethal weapons can be handed in without charge. Disposal of the weapons was a problem, until some bright spark thought about melting them down into scrap and using them as building material. It was a perfect fit for the stadium, which is keen to include as many eco-friendly ideas as possible.

New issue of Progressive Building + Info-Link magazine out soon

No comments By Mark Longley on December 16, 2010

THE FINAL issue of Progressive Building + Info-Link magazine for the year is out soon and it's a packed issue to take you over the Christmas break. Here is a sneak preview:

There is the latest news from the industry.

Warwick Quinn, CEO of the RMBF, Martin Fahey CEO of the NZIOB, Richard Carver from Jennian Homes and Derek Baxter from CBANZ all share their thoughts about the year ahead.

There is a short feature looking at cover pricing and the Commerce Commission's attempts to educate the industry about the dangers of manipulating tenders.

The projects featured this issue are: The new indoor sports arena being built in a particularly windy part of Wellington. The Victoria Park Tunnel. MOTAT's LVL timber exhibition hall and the renovation of a block of flats in Wellington where most of the old product is recycled.

There is also an interview with the NZIOB Young Achiever of the Year Shannon Chambers plus the latest products in the Info-Link section.

Q Theater celebrates construction milestone

No comments By Mark Longley on December 14, 2010

Setting the final bits of the roof in place

AUCKLAND'S Q Theater is taking shape and the refurbishment/new build project, being undertaken by Naylor Love, passed a major milestone recently. The roof of the auditorium building was completed, ensuring the project is now watertight and immune to the varying conditions Auckland's weather can throw up.

It's in one year since the first sod was turned on the project, which involves refurbishment of an 85-year old building on Queen Street and construction of a new auditorium. Q Theater general manager Susanne Ritzenhoff says they are delighted with the progress. "We can really see the auditorium taking shape and building is on schedule with the theater's first show set to run in September 2011. Naylor Love has amalgamated, brilliantly, an old building with new construction and we are thrilled that we have been able to retain some of the character of the old building to create something special for Auckland's entertainment precinct."

The new theater will include: a 350-450 seat auditorium, 120 seat studio space, cafe, bar and function area.

Maori design for retaining wall

No comments By Mark Longley on December 13, 2010

NOW I am not suggesting you stop your car and look closely at this, or do it while you are driving. However if you are walking down by Auckland's Westhaven Mariner, it's worth having a look at the retaining wall that forms part of the new motorway section of the Victoria Park Tunnel project.

The lower half of the wall is based on a Maori design sketched by Pita Turei of Ngati Paoa. Andre Raymond is the construction manager for the motorway section and he says the wall has set the standard for the rest of the project. "We are very proud of the retaining wall there. That was a success. Pita Turei, one of the iwi representatives drew some sketches of fish to symbolise life force of the sea. Boffa Miskel then developed that into a pattern that went onto the retaining wall. We simplified the design to make it a single panel, which is the barrier and the retaining wall in one. The guys who built it took great pride in getting it perfect, it looks very elegant."

The Victoria Park Tunnel project is a New Zealand Transport Agency project that is being constructed under the Alliance module. The Alliance members are Fletcher Construction, Beca Infrastructure, Boffa Miskel, Higgins and Parsons Brinkerhoff.

The tunnel section will provide three lanes of traffic going north and the current Victoria Park viaduct will provide four lanes of traffic heading north. The St Marys Bay section from Victoria Park to the Harbour Bridge will now be five lanes of traffic heading north and five heading south.

The best un-built work of 2010

No comments By Peta Nichols on November 24, 2010

A Path To Dwell On, designed by Nick Sayes and Mike Hartley. Winner of the AAA Cavalier Bremworth Awards 2010.

A lot of architects and designers put a lot of effort into projects that for some reason or another, many times through no fault of their own, never get built. Every year, the Auckland Architecture Association Cavalier Bremworth Design Awards recognises these un-built works, and the 2010 winners were announced last Thursday night at AUT's St Paul Street Gallery.

Mike Hartley and Nick Sayes from Daniel Marshall Architects won the Open Section of the awards with their entry called The Path to Dwell on.

Other projects awarded were: Sir Keith Park Aviation Museum at MOTAT designed by Yumian Chai (winner, student section); Being in Painful Circumstances designed by Yosop Ryoo (highly commended, student); Red Line designed by Huirui Wang and Ruoyu Wang (highly commended, student); My Bro's House designed by Simon Twose (commended, open section); and Live and Work infill designed by Matt Deep (commended, student section).

: At the awards presentation at St Paul Street Gallery. From left: Paul Clarke, Nick Murcutt, Rachel Neeson, Fleur Palmer.

: A Path To Dwell On, designed by Nick Sayes and Mike Hartley. Winner of the AAA Cavalier Bremworth Awards 2010.

: The Path To Dwell On by Nick Sayes and Mike Hartley.

: The Path To Dwell On by Nick Sayes and Mike Hartley.

: The Path To Dwell On by Nick Sayes and Mike Hartley.

: Sir Keith Park Aviation Museum at MOTAT by Yumian (Dino) Chai.

: Sir Keith Park Aviation Museum at MOTAT by Yumian (Dino) Chai.

: Sir Keith Park Aviation Museum at MOTAT by Yumian (Dino) Chai.

: Being in Painful Circumstances by Yosop Ryoo.

: Red Line by Huirui Wang and Ruoyu Wang.

: Being in Painful Circumstances by Yosop Ryoo.

: My Bro’s House by Simon Twose.

Every year the AAA manages to lure some great Australia architects across the ditch to help judge the awards, and this year the international judges were Nick Murcutt and Rachel Nesson of Neeson Murcutt Architects. They are a small practice based in Sydney who do some really interesting work. John Walsh will be featuring an interview with both Rachel and Nick in the January issue of Architecture NZ.

Rachel and Nick were supported by New Zealand judges Richard Naish of RTA Studio and Jon Craig, one of the founders of Craig Craig Moller Architects, now CCM Architects in Wellington.

For more information about the awards programme visit here, and here.

Great Figure!

No comments By Peta Nichols on November 18, 2010

GREAT FIGURE! is an exhibition of models and pin-ups of three houses by Wellington architecture practice KebbellDaish. The exhibition is at Wellington's Bowen Galleries on 39 Ghuznee Street from Sunday 21 November to Tuesday 23 November.

KebbellDaish is an interesting, intellectual architectural practice, with a great story. The practice, founded in 2002 by John Daish (now retired) and Sam Kebbell (architect and academic) is set to close in 2032 – giving the practice a time limit to complete the things they want achieve.

Read more about the practice and see some of its work here >> www.kebbelldaish.co.nz

: Courtyard house by KebbellDaish Architecture. (Photograph: KebbellDaish)

: Model of Courtyard House by KebbellDaish Architecture. (Photograph: KebbellDaish)

: Harte house by KebbellDaish Architecture. (Photograph: Simon Wilson)

: Model of Harte house by KebbellDaish Architecture. (Photograph: KebbellDaish)

: Adsett House by KebbellDaish Architecture. (Photograph: Sonia Mangiapane)

: Model of Adsett house by KebbellDaish Architecture. (Photograph: KebbellDaish)

Sam has written some notes on his ideas formed through the process of curating of Great Figure!, which will be featured in the next issue of Houses magazine.

Your chance to give feedback on consents

No comments By Mark Longley on November 17, 2010

CTMA WORLD launched its fourth annual customer experience study of consent and inspection services.

It means that people who underwent Resource Consent, Building Consent or Building Inspections services have the opportunity to post feedback on how well their council served them. Paul Linnell, the managing director of CTMA World says, "This is very much focused on getting customer feedback and it's about customer dissatisfaction as well as satisfaction. It asks did something go wrong and what was it? As a result of that how well did the council resolve it for you?"

The online questionnaire is comprehensive and really gives the opportunity to outline any issues you may have had. This information is presented to councils and those who wish to participate are able to use the information. Linnell says. "The study has proved so successful over the past three years that last year we noted customer satisfaction at participating councils had improved at nearly twice the rate of other councils.. There is still work to be done, but this valuable feedback from customers helped these councils learn from their customers about specific issues that cause concern. From this information they have been able to focus on the improvements that will bring the biggest benefit to their customers."

The industry is awash with complaints about Building and Resource Consent so this is an opportunity to get those complaints heard.

To complete the online form go to http://www.feedback-direct.com/nzconsents/