Progressive and Innovative Architecture Keeps Wellington History Alive
Sitting along the beautiful Wellington Harbor, the historic capital city, Wellington, boasts centuries of architectural progression. From the early days of the Polynesian and European immigrants to the modern day architecture in Wellington, this city represents over 150 years of almost every major style. You’ll find the simplest of wooden homes, the curves and colors of post-modern as well as the popular and innovative Art Deco. As with so many historic cities, the old is constantly being renewed as people find the beauty in the tired and outdated and restore it to modern day luster.
Wood was the building material of choice as the city of Wellington began its growth. This was only by default, as building stone was not readily available. These early wooden structures have not survived the test of time. When concrete was introduced in the 1890′s, architecture in Wellington took on a new style that is still visible today. Today the Wellington region is home to over 480,000 people. It is New Zealand’s cultural capital offering museums, theaters, orchestras, ballets and numerous festivals. You’ll also find Wellington to be the center of business, as it is home to the New Zealand Stock Exchange.
For those inclined towards careers in architecture and design, Wellington is the home of Victory University’s, School of Architecture. The school offers state of the art exhibition spaces, theaters, workshops, labs and design studios. The students have the opportunity to interact with local professionals with active architecture businesses as they earn their Bachelor’s In Architectural Studies, postgraduate diploma or Master’s level. The instructors are internationally recognized and credited with excellence in their field.
Architecture in Wellington is no stranger to award winning architects and designs. Architect, Ernst Plischke from Austria is given credit for the acceptance of modernist architecture in New Zealand. In addition to Plische is Ian Athfield, winner of New Zealand’s Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal, and 60 national and international awards. Of those 60, 13 were NZIA Supreme Awards. Innovative designs such as the oval rubbish bins made from aluminum and plastic created by Matthijs and Hanne van Beek and the contemporary public art commissioned by the Wellington Sculpture Trust continue to keep the city of Wellington at the forefront of progressive and innovative architecture.
