Interesting structure and buildings around New Zealand

I have touched on Wellington City in previous article here​ and Botanical of Wellington here.

This article will bring share you from another perspective which is interesting building or structure in New Zealand. They seem like icon of each city or area. 

Beehive building

Overall, I think NZ has interesting structure or building around the country. I have seen many of them and sometime forgot to take pictures.

Let me walk you through them one by one, and this list is not all. There are a lot more!

 

Beehive building is a common name of Executive Wing of New Zealand Parliament Buildings. It was called beehive because of its shape is reminiscent to a traditional woven form of beehive.

• Location: the corner of Molesworth Street and Lambton Quay, Wellington.
• Designer: Thomas Turnbull, Style: Victorian Gothic style
• Years of construction: between 1883 and 1899.
• Tour: public tours run daily, on the hour from 10am to 4pm, Fee to entry: free. Size of public tour is limited to 18 people/group, scheduled 24h before the visit with numbers of people and date and time, check here for detailed information. There are various tours allowed here with a guide will take you to various locations including
  • Banquet Hall
  • Beehive Theatrette
  • Parliamentary House
  • Debating Chamber
  • Legislative Council Chamber (LCC)
  • Grand Hall
  • Parliamentary Library
  • Walk through the Galleria
  • Select Committee Rooms
  • The Base Isolators

Solace in the Wind (The Naked Man) Statue is a life-sized bronze statue of a naked man putting his arms flung back behind him facing out towards the harbor. It is a famous and iconic photographed statue of Wellington. It is located just behind Te Papa museum, within 2mns walking.

Me and my friends trying different post with the man  

•    Location: Waterfront, behind Te Papa museum, Wellington
• Designer: Max Patte
• Years of construction: 2008
• Purpose of building: was originally built to serve as an “adios or goodbye” to New Zealand where the UK sculptor had worked at Weta Workshop (visual effects company for movies) as Head of Sculptor on a working-holiday visa. Interestingly, after a decade, he has never really said goodbye. He remains in the same city as the statue that launched his career.

John Plimmer Statue, Bronze man and his dog (most photographed statue)

The bronze statue of Sir John Plimmer (1812-1905), known as "The Father of Wellington", located at Plimmer Steps, and his dog, Fritz, was his constant companion for many years. This bronze statue has proved a magnet to tourists.  

• Years of construction: The statue, erected in 1996, depicts the pair walking towards Lambton Quay in the 1900s.
• In 2013, the statue was voted the most popular public artwork in Wellington.
• Plimmer sailed to Wellington with the New Zealand Company on the Gertrude, arriving on October 31, 1841. More information about him is here.

My friend and me with Father of Wellington and his dog, we did not know him at that time!

Woman of Words

The sculpture was designed to capture the essence of Katherine Mansfield while celebrating her literary heritage. It was entirely created from words and phrases selected from Katherine Mansfield's short stories, diaries and journals to present information about the writer, the woman and her New Zealand childhood. Read more here.

• Designed by: Wellington Sculpture Trust; Wellington City Council, and The Katherine Mansfield Society. 
• Location: Midland Park, Lambton Quay, Wellington.
• Years of construction: 2011-2013
• Dimensions: made from Marine grade 316 stainless steel
• Height 3,400mm x Width 1,200mm.

Woman of Words in front of Midland park, Wellington

 

Fern ball sculpture Fern Ball sculpture, by Neil Dawson, is a 3.4 meter diameter sphere suspended 14 meters over Civic Square in central Wellington.

• Designer: Neil Dawson
• Location: suspended over Civic Square in central Wellington.
• Was removed sometimes in 2019 for monitoring on safety measure, read more here.

Fern ball near the water front at Wellington city

 

The Chalice Sculpture in Cathedral Square, in Christchurch, has a primary hexagonal steel structure and a solid steel conical base. Native leaf patterns are cut from sheet with 42 aluminum shapes, welded to custom-made triangular beam structures, and then bolted into position on the frame, represent the leaves of native trees that previously grew in the city area. It was built to celebrates the new millennium and the 150th Anniversary of the founding of Christchurch and Canterbury.

• Designer:  by sculptor Neil Dawson (born in Christchurch 1948)
• Location: 100 Cathedral Square, Christchurch Central, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand
• Year of construction: 2001
• Dimension: A dark band of black pearl granite in six segments surrounds the foot of Chalice making a circle just over 3 meters in diameter. 18 meters high, 2 meters in diameter at ground level and 8.5 meters in diameter at the top, its shape mirrors the spire of Christchurch Cathedral. Read more here.

Me and the Chalice Sculpture

Have you ever seen something different and get your attention?