The Adelaide designed $110 million airport terminal begins to take shape at Harewood. The island's largest construction project is scheduled for completion in late 2010.
Photo credits: top; Rodd Taylor, bottom; dexigner.com
Showing posts with label Harewood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Harewood. Show all posts
Apr 24, 2009
Jan 7, 2009
Airport Terminal Demolition
Plans have been announced for the replacement of the 1960 Christchurch International Airport terminal building. Designed by the modernist architect Paul Pascoe (1908-1976), the New Zealand Institute of Architects awarded him their Gold Medal for this building.
The $208 million redevelopment is scheduled for completion in late 2010.
The $208 million redevelopment is scheduled for completion in late 2010.
"Well, one day during the early part of the war we were down in Sumner and I saw this bloke standing there – Paul Pascoe – and there he was, big tie, looking out to sea like Milton or something, you know, seeing poetry ... and he said to me, “Ah, young Beaven, what are you thinking of doing?” and I said “Well, I don't know really, I'm trying to be told”. He said “Come in to the office with me”. So we got on the tram and went in to his office and within two hours talking Paul Pascoe somehow made clear what I'd seen, who I was, what I should do.
Two hours with Paul, that was it. Pascoe was the one. He was a charismatic fellow who knew something that architects are not taught: that architecture was a mystery and a huge psychic need that people had to have. It's a performance. I can remember that I ran into Hedley Helmore who is another good old architect – you see Christchurch used to be good, now it's shattered of course, but that's another matter..."
A further Architect's comment:I have recently come across your rather excellent blog on Canterbury Heritage. Being an ex-Christchurch resident now located in Melbourne, it is great to be able to keep up with the great achievements of individuals intent on keeping at least some of Canterbury's heritage known and discussed. Though, I have noted that your recent posts have failed to pick up on the imminent destruction of the Christchurch airport domestic terminal.Considering the new proposal is by Warren and Mahoney; the once great, though now utterly terrible, modernist architects, it appears some ethical debate regarding the destruction of a modernist legacy by an ex-modernist-still-pandering-their-wares-as-a-modernist has yet to be taken up by the local architectural fraternity let alone by the New Zealand Institute of Architects.After Sheppard and Rout's rather elegant extension to the international terminal, considering the difficulties of an airport, you might have thought it would have encouraged the airport authorities to once again reach further afield than a tabla rasa corporate identity. Here's hoping the recent economic woes can slow them down.
It's worth going out to the airport to see the rather confusing affair - brought about by the building of the new control tower (somewhere between the Chalice scuplture and a slipped disk) and the sudden proportions of the carpark building.Considering the way things are going in Christchurch - the revealing of, then cowardly destruction of the Tivoli Theatre, the replacement of the neo-Gothic prison at Addington for a future slum, the almost too close to call gutting of the museum, the populist stink that is the new art gallery, Cashel Mall's hopefull redevelopmet only to be turned into little Brisbane, the inevitable flop that will be the new City Council chambers and the current lot of high-rise towers now plumbing their foundations into the earth....One must ask; what will the current generations built legacy be? A recent book that came out was Long Live the Modern on Modernist NZ architecture, as well as Sir Miles Warren's autobiography. Both great and important books to have, if somewhat incomplete, and lacking a foundation text. Maybe a post speculating on future built heritage would be interesting, especiallly if you can get other readers involved?Two other buildings worth commenting on; Peter Beaven's Port Authority Tunnel administration offices and Shadbolt House in Lyttleton; both utterly fantastic. Beaven's metabolist satirical ship building, and Shadbolt house's constructivist theatricality, provide an important legacy to our built environment.
Dec 21, 2008
Curator's Choice
Occasionally to be seen in Christchurch second hand shops are mid-century Danish Modern dining chairs to the design of the Cabinetmaker Børge Mogensen (1914-1972).
The Teak chairs were imported in 1955 by Detachment One of the United States Naval Support Force, Antarctica for the Wardroom of the Commissioned Officers' Mess at Harewood (below).
Unrecognised as such and until now without provenance, these relics from the earliest period of the Operation Deep Freeze program currently attract little interest and fetch only nominal prices.
Nov 20, 2008
Harewood 1964
Borrowed from the R.A.F. for the 1955 film Reach for the Sky, the landmark 1945 Supermarine Spitfire graced the front lawn of the Canterbury Brevet Club building at the northern corner of Memorial Avenue and Russley Road from 1964 until 1984.
The Spitfire was subsequently replaced by a fibreglass replica, moulded from the aeroplane. Completely restored in 1984-85, the aircraft is now displayed at the RNZAF Museum at Wigram.
The replica was given to the people Christchurch when the club shifted from the building to the former Wigram air base's officers' mess in October, 1999.
Sep 23, 2008
Christchurch Airport 1950s
Christchurch Airport at Harewood opened for commercial service in 1940, with passengers flying aboard a four engined de Havilland Dragon Express (above). However, the Second World War got in the way and it wasn't until the 16th of December, 1950 that the aerodrome officially became New Zealand’s first International Airport - a century to the day from the arrival of the first Canterbury Association settlers to arrive directly from London (a few had already arrived via Wellington, but our received history prefers to ignore that inconvenient fact).
From 1946 the passenger terminal (below) had been situated in a former RNZAF hanger about where the far end of the current overseas terminal now stands. It ceased to be used as such after the completion of a new terminal in 1960, but wasn't demolished until 1978.
Regular trans-Tasman flights began on the 29th of June 1951, when Tasman Empire Airways Ltd. chartered an aircraft from QANTAS (below). Under the command of Capt D. F. McMaster the Philippine Trader, a 42 passenger Douglas DC-4 aeroplane began a regular service between Melbourne and Christchurch (the 16 year old aircraft would eventually crash into the sea off Brindisi, Italy shortly after take-off in July 1962).
By 1953 TEAL (Air New Zealand since 1965) in conjunction with BOAC (now British Airways) was offering a three and half day service to London. Local Passengers connected with with a de Havilland Comet jet at Sydney and flew on via the Far East. It was an expensive alternative to a six week sea voyage and intending Christchurch passengers could expect a Travel Consultant from the airline to call upon them at home to discuss the various options.
A couple of distinguished thespians bringing Shakespeare to Christchurch's Theatre Royal; Dame Sybil Thorndike and Sir Lewis Casson in front of the original Control Tower in 1954.
To promote the Christchurch City Libraries Retrospective: Christchurch life, architecture and design 1940s - 1970s photo competition, we're featuring a series of images from each decade. This week is the 1950s and next week we'll take a look at the 1960s.
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