FREE Please take one. Issue One An offering of New Zealand Architecture and Design. — 2016 — 10. 14. 26. The diversity of New Class of ’15: the creative Innovative work by design- Zealand’s architecture and inspiring designs oriented companies is is highlighted in Future that received the highest showcased in the hosting Islands, the country’s architectural honours at space at the venue of the exhibition in the Biennale the 2015 New Zealand New Zealand architecture Architeturra 2016. Architecture Awards. exhibition in Venice. Joyful architecture Children playing on the roof of Amritsar, the Wellington house that was a career-long project of Sir Ian Athfield (1940– 2015), an outstanding figure in New Zealand architecture. More village than residence, Amritsar has captivated visitors for 40 years. One new fan is U.S. critic Alexandra Lange (see page 9). Photograph courtesy Athfield Architects. Our archipelago has been discovered by a succession cultural and spiritual importance around which of voyagers and explorers over the centuries but was dwellings were clustered. one of the last significant land masses to be peopled. As the Māori population increased and society The story Around 800 years ago, in the last thrust of human became more tribalised, strategic hillsides were expansion throughout the Pacific Ocean, expert nav- secured during periods of warfare by large-scale igators sailing sophisticated doubled-hulled vessels earthworks and palisades known as pā. The history landed in the southern reach of Polynesia (‘many of New Zealand architecture is not just one of arrival up to now islands’) and adapted their way of life to a colder, and the adaptation and evolution of building forms more temperate land. but also of transforming the landscape to meet the Architecture in New Zealand is These people, Māori, built quite different struc- needs of people. an island narrative of exploration, tures from those in the Pacific. Low-roofed, sin- Throughout Oceania there is a strong relation- gle-roomed dwellings (whare) woven from plants ship between the technologies required to construct arrival and ongoing adaptation. were dug partially into the ground to insulate them ocean-going craft and those used to create buildings. from strong winds and cold. However, one feature What were once seen as simple dug-out canoes and By Bill McKay that remained common throughout the Pacific was grass shacks are now recognised as skilfully built the marae ātea, a large, open space of communal, Continued on page 4... KOHA / An offering of New Zealand Architecture and Design. 3 Contributors Contents New Zealand’s participation in the 2016 Architeturra Pip Cheshire is a director of Cheshire The story up to now Architects, President (2014–16) of the by Bill McKay ............................................................ 1 Biennale in Venice is an opportunity to consider the New Zealand Institute of Architects, and a writer on architecture. wider achievements of New Zealand’s architecture The state of play Philip Clarke is a freelance writer by Pip Cheshire ...................................................... 5 and design practitioners, the increasing diversity of and curator who for eleven years was director of Auckland craft and design The critical case for regionalism their practice and production, and their contribution gallery Objectspace. Alexandra Lange, in Alexandra Lange is a New York writer conversation with John Walsh.............. 8 to the life of the country. Future Islands, the official who is the architecture critic at the online publication Curbed and a Don’t look back New Zealand exhibition created by Charles Walker columnist at Dezeen. by John Walsh ...................................................... 10 and Kathy Waghorn and commissioned for the New Craig Martin is a former teacher and THE NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION school principal who runs a website Minka the model maker Zealand Institute of Architects by Tony van Raat, dedicated to the work of New Zealand by John Walsh ........................................................11 architect John Scott. Weaving many strands puts some of these concerns on the international Bill McKay is a senior lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning by Desna Whaanga-Schollum .............12 architectural radar. But, of course, there’s a lot at the University of Auckland and the author of several books about New Class of ’15 ................................................................14 going on beneath the surface of the show: island Zealand architecture. Designing women seek environments have long been regarded as nesting Lynda Simmons is director of Lynda rightful place Simmons Architect and combines grounds for evolutionary development. practice with teaching at Auckland’s by Lucy Treep and schools of architecture. Lynda Simmons ...................................................18 Michael Smythe is a design Adopt, adapt, adept This publication tells some more of our island’s practitioner, strategist, writer and historian. He is the author of by Michael Smythe .........................................20 design stories. It takes its name from a Māori word New Zealand by Design: a History of New Zealand Product Design. Well-crafted stories by Michael Barrett ...........................................21 for a gift or contribution, an offering made in a spirit Lucy Treep is principal of the architecture practice Burgess & Treep Object lessons of reciprocity. We want to learn from the Biennale, Architects and with Lynda Simmons editor of Architecture in an Expanded by Philip Clarke ..................................................22 and offer information in return. Our stories may be Field (2015). Art of the landscape news to many people – we believe it’s good news. Koha Desna Whaanga-Schollum (Ngāti by Michael Barrett ..........................................23 VENICE.NZIA.CO.NZ Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu, covers the continuum of architecture and design in Ngāti Pāhauwera) is an artist, Bright futures .....................................................24 designer and researcher, and current New Zealand, looking at how we got to where we’re at chair of Ngā Aho, a national network Inside the New Zealand Room of Māori design professionals. (voyages, arrivals and adaptations), what’s happening Edited by Michael Barrett ......................26 now (design tendencies and contemporary projects), Six of the best ......................................................30 and why the outlook is propitious (the promotion of A perfect getaway inclusiveness, the push for equity and the promise by Craig Martin ...................................................32 of youthful talent). Koha also profiles the innovative Book end ....................................................................34 companies who see New Zealand’s presence at the world’s leading architecture event as a chance to tell their stories in a forum dedicated to the exhibition of imaginative propositions and the realisation of creative ideas. PLATINUM PARTNERS GOLD PARTNERS New Zealand Institute of Architects [email protected] SILVER PARTNERS Koha — © New Zealand Institute Teena Hale Pennington, Koha is published with More information about architecture An offering of New of Architects 2016 Chief Executive, NZIA the support of the New in New Zealand can be found at: Zealand Architecture This publication is copy- Zealand Government and Design. right. No part may be Editors: John Walsh through Manatū Taonga, Issue One, 2016 reproduced or transmitted (Communications the Ministry for Culture www.nzia.co.nz BRONZE PARTNERS in any form by any means Manager, NZIA), Michael and Heritage’s Cultural Published by the New without permission in Barrett (Communications Diplomacy International NewZealandInstituteofArchitects Zealand Institute of writing from the publisher. Advisor) Programme. Architects Incorporated 21 Queen Street, Thanks to the rights Design: www.inhouse.nz ISBN 978-0-473-35462-6 @NZIArchitects Auckland 1010, holders for permission to New Zealand reproduce photographs Printer: Everbest Printing @nziarchitects nzia.co.nz and illustrations. Co., China 4 KOHA / An offering of New Zealand Architecture and Design. KOHA / An offering of New Zealand Architecture and Design. 5 ...continued from page 1 kitsets. Most early dwellings were simple cottages, supplanted pātaka and war canoes (waka taua) to stripped of decoration and with rooms gradually become the centres of society and repositories of added as means allowed. These early houses were identity in a time of cultural erosion. Today, meeting nearly all constructed of wooden framing and clad- houses – with their large forecourt open areas and ding as a result of the extensive milling of timber to ancillary buildings, known as marae – are perhaps the THE STORY UP TO NOW clear farmland, although in the south of the South most significant architectural forms characterising By Bill McKay Island, in particular, use was made of cob and other New Zealand and Māori architecture and culture. earth construction techniques. The late nineteenth century saw the creation of Corrugated iron – actually steel, but known col- suburbs and the evolution of the cottage into the structures that responded to local climatic and mate- loquially as tin – was used abundantly for roofing larger but still free-standing, single-storeyed and rial conditions and that evolved in response to chang- and even walls as it could be efficiently stacked and timber-constructed villa. In the early twentieth