What would pursuing a planning policy motivated to create inner city lifestyles for children result in? More parks, safe walking routes, play spaces, perhaps roof top schools.

Overall playing in the streets was a success, with coverage leading the late night news, and many calls for a repeat. It would be great to see it held regularly, but without the noisy generators, and with a greater selection of activities for adults – beginning with more seating. For the first shot, it went well.

Further reading:
Eyeonauckland
Transport Blog

Architects: RTA Studio
Completed: 2009
Location: Karangahape Road

What do you think of the Ironbank building ?  Let us know in the comments below.

Imperial Lane is Auckland’s newest lane-way which joins Fort Lane with Queen Street. The Imperial Buildings used to be the home of two picture theatres but now the building plays host to likes of Louis Vuitton and Gucci, amongst others. A $13 million makeover has seen this building transformed into one of Auckland’s hippest hang outs, a place to be seen, to socialise and to enjoy. The Mebourne-style lane-way is home to three new establishments:

The Imperial

Located on the ground floor between Fort Lane and Imperial Lane, is a late-night cafe/coffee bar that turns into an oyster/tapas bar in the evenings.

Everybody’s

What is left of the 1911 Queen’s theatre’s ornate plastered ceiling is part of Everybody’s bistro/bar, fitted with large booth seating, a mezzanine level and opens on to an internal courtyard.

Roxy

Next door to Everybody’s, in the former theatre space which became the Roxy in 1929, is a more formal restaurant named Roxy.

Adapted text from Eye On Auckland.  Original post, “Fort Lane“.  Photos from Eye On Auckland (with fit-outs) & Fearon Hay Architects (pre fit-outs).

The AAA as well as Heart of the City and Urban Design Forum have been lobbying against the Port’s growth in various submissions and presentations to the Auckland Council.

Roll your mouse over the graphic below to see the extent of the proposed extension.

Numerous herald editorials & articles have been published recently regarding the extension and its effects on the city, the public and the harbor:
01  Boaties fear grave effect on harbor
02  Port will ‘shrink harbour’
03  Editorial: Open scrutiny of port plans vital for city
04  Extra freight key reason for port’s expansion
05  Plans ‘turn harbour into a river’
06 Mainfreight boss sees alternatives to Auckland harbor grab

Heart of the City have launched a publicity campaign titled “Your Port, Your Call” urging Aucklanders to find out more about the “extraordinary” plans by the port to expand its operations.  We encourage you to show your support for a rethink via their Facebook Campaign.

“Before we consent away our waterfront we should consider the wider implications, economic and environmental, and demand a review of the port’s plan and seek a range of alternatives for Aucklanders to consider,” Alex Swney, HOTC.

This doco presents the perspectives of Auckland Skaters, the Auckland Council and Auckland Architects.  It details how Skateboarders are using our public space, the effects on that space and the ways in which designers have been responding.

Are skateboarders “caretakers of public space” in Auckland ?  (let us know your thoughts/comments below)

View the AAA’s written submissions.

Presentation slides below.

The project has received numerous endorsements, notably by the mayor Len Brown, and it has been awarded a commendation by judges Kerry Hill, Andrew Patterson and Nat Cheshire at the recent AAA Cavalier Bremworth Unbuilt Architecture Awards. It is a testament to the resilience and determination of the Get Across community of activists, their supporters and notably of Copeland Associates.

A key objective of the project is to encourage pedestrian and cycle access from the north shore to the central city, leading to a range of health, environmental, and tourism benefits.

Estimated to cost between $23 and $31 million the difficulty is to ensure that it is able to pay for itself. The NZTA must not have the confidence to challenge its conventional wisdom of rolling out more roads. They are unable to fund the walkway and so it will need to seek private support.

If its built, will they come? and how many need to come for it to be viable. Make some noise if you want it.

Visit www.getacross.org.nz for more information and regular news.

This year we received a phenomenal 159 entries. 93 in the always popular Student Category, and 66 entries split evenly between the Open Conceptual category and the new Work in Progress Category.

The awards evening was preceded with a delightful lecture by guest international judge Kerry Hill.  Kerry presented his impressive collection of works – highly refined arrangements of ‘quiet’ spaces echoing modern ideologies which are beautifully brought together in the elegant and contextually fitting composition of light weight, massive and screening materials.

Carol Hirschfeld along with judges Kerry Hill, Andrew Patterson and Nat Cheshire announced and presented the awards to their recipients in each category. Unexpectantly Kerry offered a job to one of the winners, a generous offer that has made this event stand out from those before.

An exhibition of the work at AUT’s St Paul st gallery was open on Friday and over weekend.  It was well received by its professional, student and public viewers.

The AAA would like to acknowledge Desiree and Cavalier Bremworth for their 20 years of support.  This year Cavalier Bremworth raised the bar to a new high with a competition website, a new category, an increased prize pool, and a fantastic celebratory awards evening.  This years success very much came down to the support of Cavalier Bremworth.

Press Release and List of the 2011 Winners

This year’s judging panel included Kerry Hill from Kerry Hill Architects in Singapore, Andrew Patterson of Patterson Associates and Nat Cheshire from Cheshire Architects.

The awards were held at the St Paul St Gallery in Auckland last evening.  For for the first time in the event’s 20 year history, the work will now be open for public viewing.  The gallery will showcase work until Sunday 20 November, 10am to 5pm on Friday 18th, and then 12pm-4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Photo Gallery of Kerry’s Lecture, the Awards Night & Exhibition

Open Conceptual – Winner:
Graeme Burgess, Michael Strange, Vance Bentley, Sibyl Bloomfield, Burgess & Treep Architects for
A DESIGN FOR THE EAST RIVER BETWEEN 38 & 60TH STREET NYC

Citation:

There was a boldness to this project that the judges responded to.  It is an example of the type of creativity that needs to be applied to the Auckland waterfront.  Its message of peace is right for NY and illustrates the recycling of a decommissioned aircraft carrier is a highly imaginative solution.  The interlinking components are no less strong.

Open Conceptual – Runner Up:
Jonathan Gibb for The Green Cage

Citation:

Beautifully evocative project with a balance of delicacy and robustness.  A place that is haunting and imagines a different potential for an abandoned space.  Demonstrates a collection of highly  liveable spaces in an otherwise tough and unused environment

Open Conceptual –  Highly Commended:
Fraser Moore, Mark Craven & Kenneth Li, Olympic Pavilion

CItation:

An easy grace in the way this pavilion folds itself out of the square and in the landscape-like nature of its approach.

Open Conceptual – Commended:

Mike Hartley & Ben Lloyd; My Dragon

Sean Flanagan; Playhouse

Open Work-in-Progress – Winner:
Gerald Melling, Melling Morse for St Mary’s Convent

Citation:

The design of this house is an elegant solution in recycling the ravaged remains of St Mary’s Convent.  The proposal displays great clarity and maturity in planning, proportions, and materiality.  The jury sincerely hopes this project comes to fruition.

Open Work in Progress – Runner Up:
RTA Studio

Citation:

The jury commends the appropriate size and simplicity of this small commercial development.  Set in one of Auckland’s best loved retail precincts, its fine human scale and market arrangement respects and develops this neighbourhood to a new level. 

 

Open Work in Progress – Commended

Barry Copeland, Copeland Associates Architects; Auckland Harbour Bridge Walkway

Student Winner:
Yumian (Dino) Chai
100 Rooms of Solitude

Citation:

An intelligent, experimental, poetic, universal, endlessly inventive, delicate and sensitive project that fully expressed the potential of the award and demonstrated a maturity that stood out for the judges.

Student – Runner Up:
Clayton Prest
Tipu Spiritual Retreat

Citation:

Well presented, romantic, haunting project that is easy to believe.   Demonstrates a credible NZ typology and references a refreshing relationship between the natural and the manmade. Judges enjoyed the clarity and simplicity of presentation.

Student – Highly Commended:
Claudia Weber
Implementing Permaculture into a Refugee Camp

Citation:

A very humane, generous and self-effacing scheme that demonstrates the practical service that architecture can give to even a simple life.  It’s easy to understand that this could create real change and benefit.  It exhibits an architectural humility and appropriateness that could easily be applied to existing situations.

Student – Commended

Erxin Shang; A ‘Pulpitumic’ school

Raukura Turei; Looking Up Skirts

Anthea Du; Carbon Negative Architecture

Melanie Pau; Repopulating Chch Central City

John Kim; Weak Architecture

Benita Simati Kumar; Fale Va: How a Samoan ritual activates the construction of space

Jessica Mentis; Unfolding the Helen Clarke Prime Ministerial Library

For further information, please contact:  Desiree Keown, Marketing Manager, Cavalier Bremworth, dkeown@cavbrem.co.nz

Last night the winners of the 3 sections were announced to a crowd numbering in the hundreds. A record number of entries, the largest prize pool totaling $16,000, and the highest quality of work, topped off with Kerry’s great lecture and a fantastic evening of celebrations. This years event has certainly been the best yet, all thanks to the generous and enduring support of our sponsor, Cavalier Bremworth.

Entrants are required to pick up their work from the St Paul st gallery on Monday from 9am, please aim to do so before noon.

More infromation on the awards night and winning entries to come soon.

AAA Cavalier Bremworth Unbuilt Architecture Awards competition