[NEWS] + AUCKLAND ARCHITECTURE AWARDS 2010

Winners of the [AUCKLAND ARCHITECTURAL AWARDS 2010] was recently announced by The New Zealand Institute of Architects - the winners are:

The Auckland Heliport "James Bond Heliport" by Maxcey Architects

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The Deloitte Centre + Jean Batten Building by Warren & Mahoney Ltd | Woods Bagot | Dave Pearson Architects

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8 Canada Street by Wingate + Farquhar

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21 Queen Street by Peddle Thorp Aitken

The Birkenhead Library + Civic Centre by Archoffice
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Newmarket Railway Station by Opus Architecture | Herriot + Melhuish
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The Diocesan Aquatic Centre in Epsom by Upton Architects | Mclldowie Partners

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Harbour View by Stephenson & Turner NZ
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The Central Connector in Symonds Street by Brewer Davidson Ltd | Leo Jew Consultants Ltd | BECA

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Beachcroft Bridge in Onehunga by Jasmax

City House in Herne Bay by Architex NZ
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Glendowie House by Pete Bossley Architects
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Karaka Bay House by Stevens Lawson Architects
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Waiheke House by Sumich Chaplin Architects
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Takapuna House by Godward Guthrie Architecture
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Rock House by Patterson Associates Ltd

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Waiheke Island Residence by Fearon Hay Architects

Waikehe House by Mitchell & Stout Architects

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New Greys Avenue Synagogue + School by Peddle Thorp Aitken

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The Pah Homestead by Matthews & Matthews Architects

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The Waitangi Toilet Block in Paihia by HB Architecture
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The Reynold's Studio in Ponsonby by Malcolm Walker Architects

Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum by Pete Bossley Architects
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The Parakete Ora Plunket by Strachan Group Architects

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Workshop in Ponsonby by Pohio Adams Pty
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The Auckland Girls Grammar School by Architecture Brewer Davidson

[NEWS] + THE DEPARTMENT STORE # 1

The Design and Lifestyle bible - Monocle Magazine, has nominated Auckland's [THE DEPARTMENT STORE] as THE hottest retail store on the planet. It comes as no surprise to us, we love browsing through all the amazing books, objects and clothing. Not only can you have your hair done, you can also have beauty treatments and relax with a great cup of coffee. London's TopShop has decided to join this palace of cool and will display their range on the third floor. 

[NEWS] + MONOCLE SAYS YES, AUCKLAND IS WORTHY

In 2008 Auckland was banished by [MONOCLE] magazine but this year the chic global design and lifestyle magazine agrees that Auckland has earned the reputation to be included again and we sit proudly in position # 20. Of all the surveys [EYE] ON AUCKLAND views this survey as the most important one.

[MONOCLE] launched their 25 top liveable cities survey in 2007 and then ranked Auckland very highly at position # 16. In 2008 they thought that Auckland didn't make the cut and subsequently we were cut from the list. Very humiliating indeed and we hung our heads in shame but now we are back !

The magazine ranks cities not just on usual livability measures such as the cost of housing and infrastructure but also tries to provide a sense of what makes big cities truly "great". Its reviewers looked at the aesthetic of the built environment, the efficiency of bureaucracies, whether you can eat late at night and the safety and comfort of walking the streets.

Auckland can hold its head up high, this year alone the Mercer Index for [QUALITY OF LIFE] ranked the city at # 4 and the Economist Intelligence Unit 's index for [LIVEABILITY] ranked the city at # 12. Not bad for our big little city with a council that has a repressed 20th Century mentality, a small but cosmopolitan population of 1.3 million people and placed at the furthest end of planet Earth.

Well done Auckland, now let's strive to be # 1

[NEWS] + SKY TOWER HAS A NEW LOOK

We are in awe of [SKY TOWER's] new look. Apart from the usual gold, red and blue, the upper part of Auckland's most famous landmark changes colour every two seconds and it looks fabulous. There has been very little mention of the new look but I am sure that we will be hearing more in the next couple of days.

[NEWS] + CITY HALL ABLAZE WITH COLOUR

Telecom 2 - Auckland City Council (caught sleeping again) 0

It was during December 2008 when Telecom transformed Victoria Park with a 27m tall Christmas tree that sent messages to Santa and had thousands of us enthralled by its beauty. Now Telecom have done it again - light artist Mike Mizrahi was hired by telecom to transform Auckland's [CITY HALL] into a magical wonderland for the promotion of Telecom's new XT Mobile Network.

After micro-mapping every inch of the surface of the civic building, they used lights, video and colour to turn the building into a psychedelic, technicolour explosion. Images cannot translate the splendour that I witnessed but you can try to use your imagination.

The spectators gasped with joy when the [CITY HALL] transformed from an architectural structure into a big house consisting entirely of candy. Needless to say that the children loved it.

The sandcastle brought back wonderful memories of when I was a child and we would leave our landlocked locale for a month of candy floss and toffee apples at the seaside resort of Durban, South Africa.

Scientific endeavours were not forgotten - a futuristic display of numerals (matrix style) dancing across the building enthralled us and a rocket blasted off from the clock tower and took us to saturn.

My personal favourite was the lighthouse - the clock tower was transformed into a red and white beacon of hope while the semi-circular part of the building became the rocky base complete with crashing waves and seagulls. It was so beautiful.

More photographs can be viewed HERE

[NEWS] + QUALITY OF LIVING, AUCKLAND IS 4th BEST

Auckland ! it is time to celebrate but there is no time to rest on our laurels. While I am typing other cities competing against us are making big plans to dethrone us. I hope that these results don't make the little grey and repressed men at the city council think that they have done enough - HARDLY ! Thankfully for Auckland, design, creativity and architecture is not one of the criteria that we were judged on. Now for the big news -

Auckland has moved up one spot from 5th in 2008 to 4th spot in 2009 for quality of living. Vienna topped the 2009 Worldwide Quality of Living Survey, but Australia fared well with Sydney placed 10th, Melbourne 18th, Perth 21st, Adelaide 30th and Brisbane 34th. Apart from Sydney, Auckland was the only other southern hemisphere city to make the top 10. The survey, compiled by global consultancy firm Mercer to help calculate remuneration packages for expatriate workers, ranked 215 cities against a range of political, social, economic, environmental, personal safety and public service criteria. "Both Australia and New Zealand (Wellington ranked 12th) boast some of the most liveable cities in the world," Mercer spokesman Rob Knox said yesterday. For further information please visit: MERCER INDEX