Monday, September 24, 2012

Church deemed quake risk

Parishioners of a Westport church will continue to attend mass there, despite learning the building is high earthquake risk. An initial evaluation assessment found the 37-year-old St Canice's Catholic Church was only 18 per cent compliant with the New Building Standards, said Father Raymond Soriano. This gave it a grade E rating, the lowest possible and meant it was 25-40 times more liable to collapse in a quake than a 100 per cent compliant building. More

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Futuna's Jesus sculpture returned


Jesus finally returned home from the dead today, briefly stopping in Karori under a heavy police escort.

The historic mahogany statue of Christ, hand-forged by sculptor Jim Allen, went missing from Karori’s Futuna Chapel in 1999 or 2000 around the time the chapel was sold by its former owners, the Society of Mary, to housing developers.

The statue was recovered from an empty rural property in Ahititi, Taranaki in late August and was today welcomed back to its original home.

The statue was formally recognised with hymns and holy water before police escorted it to Te Papa where a conservation assessment and any restorative work that may be required will take place.

The sculpture is expected to be permanently reinstated at the chapel in March.

More.
Dominion Post 6/9/12

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Historic statue of Jesus recovered

Wellington police have found Jesus - in Taranaki.

A historic mahogany statue of Christ which was stolen from Futuna Chapel in Karori was recovered this week in rural Taranaki after being missing for more than 12 years.
More...

Dominion Post 31/8/2012

Monday, April 23, 2012

Historic Places Trust moves to register Aniwaniwa Visitor Centre

Registration of Te Urewera National Park Visitor Centre (Former), 6395 Lake Road (State Highway 38), Aniwaniwa, (Register no. 9553)

The New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT) is proposing to enter Te Urewera National Park Visitor Centre, Aniwaniwa in the NZHPT Register of historic places, historic areas, wahi tapu and wahi tapu areas.

The NZHPT is now formally seeking views from all people who are directly involved in Te Urewera National Park Visitor Centre.

There will be a period of 20 working days (which may be extended to 40 days if necessary) during which you and other interested parties are invited to write to the NZHPT about the proposal. Letters often include reasons for or against the proposal, as well as comments on the information provided in the assessment report. Written comments can be provided up until 5pm on Friday 25 May 2012.

Please address letters to:
Ann Neill
General Manager Central
NZHPT Central Region
PO Box 2629
Wellington 6140


Registration Report (pdf 2.1 MB)

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Speaking of Restoration

1962 - Photo Maurice Smith

1992 - Photo Craig Martin

2008 - Photo Craig Martin

Futuna Open Day and Dulux Futuna Lecture

FUTUNA CHAPEL OPEN DAY - 15 CPD Points

Viewing of building (one of NZ top 10 buildings and recipient of 25 year Award and NZIA Gold Medal), musical performance, facsimiles of original drawings on display, presentation by Nick Bevin Trust Chair of the planned restoration of the building’s exterior and a talk by a well known NZ Architect, David Mitchell, on his reading of John Scott the architect of Futuna.

David Mitchell is an architect whose work has figured prominently in New Zealand over the last twenty years. He has designed university buildings, teachers’ college buildings, schools and community projects, art galleries, office buildings, public housing, apartments, and numerous private houses. Though he travelled and worked overseas for most of the 1990’s he continued with private commissions in New Zealand. He returned to Auckland with Julie Stout to set up practice again in 2000.

He has taught design at the Auckland schools of architecture, written two books and many articles and presented a 6-part television series, The Elegant Shed, on New Zealand architecture.

In 2005, David was awarded the NZIA Gold Medal, the highest honour bestowed by the New Zealand Institute of Architects Incorporated, for an outstanding contribution to the theory and practice of architecture.

Date: Sunday 18 March
Time: 11.00am - 4.00pm
Music 12:00pm – 12:30pm
Restoration Presentation 1:30pm to 2:00pm
Talk 2:30pm to 3:00pm
Venue: Futuna Chapel, Futuna Close, 67 Friend Street, Karori, Wellington
Cost: Koha
Registration: None required.

DULUX FUTUNA LECTURE - 15 CPD Points

Following the Blue Mountains Master Class Rick Joy will present three lectures in New Zealand starting with the second Dulux Futuna lecture at Futuna Chapel.

Rick will talk about the underpinnings, inspirations and aspirations of his work, how he and his practice produce the work and how it is constructed. This lecture series is generously supported by Dulux in association with Intergrain and Metalcraft Roofing.

Sunday 18 March
6.30pm starts
Futuna Chapel, Futuna Close
67 Friend Street
Wellington
Cost:
$25.00 - Architects
$20.00 - Students

Monday 19 March
6.30pm starts
CPIT Campus
Madras Street
Christchurch
Cost:
$20.00 - Architects
$15.00 - Students

Thursday 22 March
6.30pm starts
Engineering Lecture Theatre 439
University of Auckland
20 Symonds Street
Auckland
Cost:
$25.00 - Architects
$20.00 - Students

To make a booking please click here and you will be directed to a booking form. Fill out your details and submit the form. You will receive an acknowledgement advising that an invoice will be emailed to you shortly. A booking is not confirmed until payment is received. Please note a $5 fee applies to each transaction (you may book several places under one booking) to help cover costs.

If you have any queries please contact the booking managers - The Whiteboard (NZ) Ltd on 04 499 9550 or email futunalectures@gmail.com.