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.
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/
By Mark Longley
on
October 14, 2010
YOU CAN tell when you hit a residential suburb in Canterbury that has been affected by the earthquake - the streets are lined with portaloos. There are also more telling signs, in many areas the road surface becomes uneven, or at worst bowed and impassable. The areas I saw - Kaiapoi, Avonside and Brooklands - that were worst affected all bordered the river. The tranquil River Avon is now, in parts, up to two metres narrower than it was pre-quake as the land has fallen into the water. Footbridges that cross it are twisted out of shape, like a spine with scoliosis, and in parts there are visible splits in the footpaths that border the river.
It is the houses and what to do with them that poses the biggest question. Much of the focus post-quake has been on the heritage buildings in the CBD, but it is the residential areas that could prove to be the real problem. Early estimates reckoned up to 100,000 homes could be affected and the real number is still not known. From the street the only visible sign a house has suffered damage is it has a portaloo outside, but look closely and you can see they are not right. Window sills run at angles, or the house looks twisted, as if someone has picked it up to have a look and not put it back properly. Many residential areas are still without sewerage, and you can understand why residents are becoming frustrated.
Repairing the heritage buildings in the city might get more of the headlines, but fixing the suburbs and getting people back into their homes is the real story.
By Mark Longley
on
October 11, 2010
STANDING OUTSIDE a seven story building that could collapse at any minute is disconcerting to say the least. The area around the Manchester Courts building on Christchurch's Manchester Street had been cordoned off, however the photographer Simon Devitt and myself had blagged our way in and were now standing talking to the building's owner, Richard Peebles. Earlier that morning the brick building had been approved for demolition, so badly had the earthquake damaged her. Peebles was explaining the extent of the damage, pointing out where the brick walls were bowing and cracking. The next big aftershock could well send this grand old structure tumbling to the ground he said.
I thought maybe we should move the conversation back a few feet, but he asked if we wanted to look at the damage inside. We politely declined, I figured I might regret not getting the story, but not as much as I would regret going inside should the building collapse.
The Manchester Courts building is one of the higher profile buildings in Christchurch that won't survive the quake. What was once Christchurch's tallest building will be demolished and something else will be rebuilt in her place. It is one of the few damaged buildings to know their fate, the city is littered with other structures being propped up and awaiting theirs. Funding will be a major issue in restoring the buildings that are not earmarked for demolition. They are supposed to be repaired to 67 percent of the seismic requirements in the Building Code, but that is unlikely to be covered by insurance alone.
The city is largely safe now, which is great testament to the engineers and builders who went into the damaged buildings, unsure how unsafe they were, and shored them up. All that remains is to decide what to do with the broken buildings.
By Peta Nichols
on
September 15, 2010
IN THE latest issue of Houses magazine we have a beautiful Matariki light shade (as shown in the photograph by Louise Schouten above), from Wellington-based Joug Design to give away.
Here is what the designers Helen and Jelle have to say about the light shade:
"The Matariki light shade's design was inspired by our new born son. The pendant light shade in our bedroom was too bright for his eyes so we set out to design a new light shade. It's 700mm in diameter by 270mm in height so it's quite a feature light shade. When it is on and you squint your eyes it looks to me like the stars on a crisp evening night..."
To enter, email housescomps@agm.co.nz with your name and contact details*.
Also, pick up the latest issue of Houses magazine for a chance to win one of five $1000 Resene vouchers.
*Houses standard conditions of entry apply and can be seen on page 4 of the magazine.
By Peta Nichols
on
September 9, 2010
LAST NIGHT at the Hotel DeBrett, architects and designers saw the Auckland launch of a new design competition by Cavalier Bremworth – The Twist Design Challenge. The beauty of this competition is, is that you don't really need to do any more work – they are asking to see designs that are designed and built. Here is what Cavalier Bremworth has to say about the competition:
Here's your chance to win bragging rights, an iPad, a very cool Saben leather and wool carpet satchel, PLUS the chance to win a cocktail party for 50. The Twist Design Challenge is open to all New Zealand registered architects and interior designers.
HOW DO YOU ENTER? Simple. Just submit any great looking residential or commercial projects where you have used Cavalier Bremworth carpet. Deadline is 8 October 2010 for first round entries.
Upload some pics below, write some blurb about the project and of course why you just had to use the great 100% sustainable wool carpet from Cavalier Bremworth. It's not a writing competition though, it's one to find some seriously great projects using our beautiful New Zealand wool carpet.
For more information about the competition, visit here.
And another competition... this time for design work that hasn't even been built:
Cavalier Bremworth is a great proponent of New Zealand architecture and design. As well as the creation of this latest competition, they have also sponsored the AAA Cavalier Bremworth Design Awards for the past 19 years! The competition recognises unbuilt design work (and it's not limited to Auckland). One would assume there is probably a lot of that around at the moment, so put your hard work to good use and enter it. The prizes are definitely worth it – the total prize pool is valued at $10000.
For more information about this competition, visit here.
By Mark Longley
on
September 2, 2010
CARTER HOLT Harvey Woodproducts launched their latest Bestwood promotion last night, at a function held at Continental Cars luxury car showroom in Newmarket. Anyone who buys or specifies a Bestwood or 3-Form product between August 1st and October 31st will go in the draw to win either a VW Transporter or a Golf GTI.
Continental Car's showroom was a fitting venue to launch a promotion where you can win a car. The showroom is car heaven and has a range of top models including: Ferrari, Audi Aston Martin and Maserati. There were spot prizes on the night and the big one was being driven out of the showroom and around town in a Ferrari by one of Continental Cars' drivers.
For more information on the promotion visit Bestwood.
By Peta Nichols
on
August 27, 2010
HOUSES ISSUE 17 (our second issue to sport the new look) goes on sale this Monday. Blue-sky thinking is this issue’s topic in focus, presenting ideas and innovations for the modern New Zealand house.
We also take a wider look at recent innovations in New Zealand residential architecture, featuring inspiring and influential student projects, houses that maximise the sun and Pamela Bell also takes a look at New Zealand’s innovative prefabricated building history.
This issue also presents creative diversity in the form of four modern New Zealand houses (the cover is of the Brynderwyn House in Mangawhai designed by David Wingate of Wingate+Farquhar). This issue's architect in-profile is Dave Strachan of Strachan Group Architects, who combines poetry and pragmatism to create outstanding houses, and there's also a Q+A with Greg O’Flaherty, the owner of Katalog, a specialist supplier of furniture, lighting and architectural hardware.
Five Houses 17 readers will also have opportunity to splash out on new paint, wallpaper or curtains as we have five $1000 Resene vouchers to give away. To enter, fill out the entry card in the magazine, or triple your chance of winning and subscribe to Houses here: architecturemedia.com/secureagm.
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Brynderwyn House by Wingate+Farquhar
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Tilt Panel House by Irving Smith Jack Architects
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Karori House I by Herriot+Melhuish: Architecture
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McFarlane Street House by Andrew Sexton Architecture
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By Peta Nichols
on
August 20, 2010
FOR MANY years prefabricated buildings have often been dismissed as temporary or poorly-built buildings, but that perception is set to change. Now, it seems, prefabricated building is at the forefront of current building innovation, and here in New Zealand Pamela Bell has made it her responsibility to let as many New Zealanders as possible learn about the building method's possibilities.
Pamela's work progressing prefab building in New Zealand includes: completing a two year masters at Victoria University of Wellington on the topic; establishing a New Zealand Prefab Steering Group, which has now formed New Zealand's first Prefab not-for-profit society – PrefabNZ and writing a regular feature; 'Progressing Prefab' for Houses magazine.
The next prefab event is a Kiwi Prefab Workshop, which will be held in Auckland on September 24.
The day will include presentations from Pamela Bell, PrefabNZ Board members, and other industry representatives. There will be a presentation on New Zealand's prefabrication industry and the new role of PrefabNZ, a number of five-minute industry overview presentations, a facilitated discussion around industry issues and opportunities, and a behind-the-scenes tour at Roll-forming Services.
The workshop is your chance to get up to speed with what is happening across New Zealand's prefabricated building industry and to learn about marketing and development innovations that your business can benefit from.
Email PrefabNZ for more information about the workshop and PrefabNZ memberships
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