I was surprised to see in my Saturday newspaper that the advertisements have begun for the 96 new houses, apartments and townhouses (as pictured) that are planned for the Erskine College site in Island Bay. Of course I know that they are spec built, and so the developer needs to start selling them even before…
Author: Elizabeth Cox
Hug a Historian Today
If you’ve seen historians roaming the streets of Wellington in the last two weeks, looking depressed and despondent, this is why. In the last two weeks, since the earthquake:
Elms Homestead, Kaikoura
The tragic death of the homeowner of Elms Homestead in Kaikoura after the weekend’s earthquake prompted me to hunt out the history of the building, and I found on the Heritage New Zealand website that it was actually a very early example of New Zealand poured concrete construction, and was part of a particularly cohesive complex of…
Wellington Cathedral Organ
The enormous organ at Wellington Cathedral, with 3,500 pipes, has been badly damaged in the November 2016 earthquake. It has been in the cathedral only since 1964, prior to that it was down the road on Mulgrave Street in Old St Paul’s since 1877.
Adaptive Reuse
How better to celebrate the weekend than a shiny, pretty example of adaptive reuse? The future of many heritage buildings relies on clever architects providing clever solutions for buildings that no longer have a use in their old form. Not only does it save many buildings, but it is a much more environmentally friendly solution than…
On the move
Since setting up my business I have found some great stories about fascinating buildings. One of my absolute favourites is the twice-moved All Saints Church (Te Hunga Tapu Katoa), now located at Pakowhai Marae in Waituhi, 20 kilometres northwest of Gisborne.
Who comes first?
Tamati Kruger, Tuhoe negotiator and chair of the Te Urewera Board asks his own question in response to a question from Radio New Zealand about the architectural worth of John Scott’s Te Urewera National Park Visitor Centre at Aniwaniwa at Lake Waikaremoana:
A (small) spoonful of sugar
Maggie Barry, the Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage recently announced (Aug 2016) the government’s new Heritage Earthquake Upgrade Incentive Programme (EQUIP) fund, which is to fund seismic strengthening for heritage buildings to the tune of $12 million over the next four years.
More money for Wellington heritage
Wellington City Council has just released its next round of funding for heritage buildings from its Built Heritage Incentive Fund. It’s great to see the fabulous Futuna Chapel getting a substantial $34,000 for seismic strengthening and conservation work, along with large amounts for two Frederick De Jersy Clere religious buildings: St Gerard’s Monastery, and St Matthias in…
What’s In A Name?
Today, the Queen Elizabeth II Pukeahu Education Centre was officially opened. This building was once the Home of Compassion Crèche, next to the Basin Reserve. A crèche was established in 1903 by the Sisters of Compassion to care for children whose mothers, often widows or those who had been abandoned by their husbands, needed to work, and did so for…
Great news for the Arts Centre in Christchurch
It is great to hear the news that the Great Hall in the Arts Centre in Christchurch has finally reopened. The once-vibrant Arts Centre, made up of buildings that had been the buildings of Canterbury College and two of the city’s secondary schools, was devastated by the Christchurch Earthquakes.
New Zealand Wars Day
Want a depressing read? Check out the submissions made to the Maori Affairs Select Committee about the petition made by Otorohanga College students Waimarama Anderson and Leah Bell
Bay Heritage Consultants Wellington 