Issue No52 — Landmarks

What pops into your head when you think of iconic architecture in Tāmaki Makaurau?

It's probably the omnipresent Skytower or War Memorial Museum, which is understandable – they're remarkable buildings that we're certainly lucky to have in our cityscape. 

In celebration of the Festival Of Architecture (on now!), however, I'd like to highlight a few of Tāmaki's architectural treasures that tend to go a little more unnoticed.

First up is 108 Greys Avenue, the former Greys Avenue Synagogue and Community Centre, designed by John Goldwater in 1967. I discovered this building from its rear wandering through Myers Park one time and was instantly struck by its charming modernist brick cladding, irregularly framed aluminium windows and blue roof. The way the sunlight gently beams through the building every morning has me redirecting my daily walk to work; each time I stroll past I notice a new feature, proportion or texture. The building was decommissioned in 2023 but word on the street is a community group is reimagining how this space could function as an arts hub. Here's hoping.

Next is Maota Samoa at 283 Karangahape Road, designed by JASMaD in 1978 as a community hub for Auckland's Pacific community. One half of the building, which is viewable from Beresford Square, was constructed with traditional thatched interior and wooden structure, making it the first fale to be built outside of Samoa. I sat in on a friend's performance in the fale last year; the smell of the natural thatching and the effect the materiality has on the sound are all sensually intoxicating (in a good way). The structure is aging, though, and needs a bit of TLC – Friends of Maota Samoa have been advocating for its preservation so hopefully we'll see its repair sooner or later.

Lastly, the former Carrington Hospital in Mt Albert. This was constructed in 1864 and adapted from a standardised design by architect James Wrigley, after the population of Grafton Hospital's psychiatric facility began to overflow. The Neoclassical main building features arched windows that show a Venetian Gothic influence, quite effectively complimenting the building's unsurprisingly paranormal reputation. In 1994, the site became Unitec’s Architecture and Design School. My mum eventually attended this school so I was lucky enough to get a look around the place and, yeah, it's pretty eerie. Didn't manage to spot any ghosts, but I did hear some odd wailing sound – might've been the wind or possibly a student failing their exams, who knows. In 2021, the site and buildings were sold to the Crown for residential development and various buildings have been demolished despite public protest but at least the main building is still standing, so that's something. 

I could go on forever! – there's an almost endless amount of these handsome and unassuming structures scattered around the city. I encourage you to explore around the city this month while THE ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL is on (till 25 September) and spot some of these subtler gems that deserve to be celebrated.

Amy Back grew up in Fiji, studied in Wellington, is now an associate working in the education and transport sectors at Jasmax Architects, and a recreational local architourist.

By Jean

NEW OPENINGS

A new cafe called NO MONDAY CLUB has opened in the Mt Eden shops where the always-doomed De Nada used to be. The official grand opening is tomorrow, although you can go there today if you want. Also, they are open seven days a week, including Monday. A TikTok video that appeared on my For You page explained that it is apparently meant to mean no boring Mondays. Confusing but there you go.

GOGOCOW, a lactose-heavy dessert place off Dominion Rd, on the street of the McDonald’s car park, has just opened. It seems to specialise in egg waffles with thick milk puddings. They should provide complimentary Lact-Aid for my similarly afflicted Asians.

There’s a new karaoke bar across from Auckland Art Gallery called BIBI. 50% off rooms at the moment! Get in there, girl!

The Hainanese chicken rice place that I mentioned was being opened in the old Selera in Newmarket is now open. I’m talking poached, I’m talking fried, I’m talking sizzling, I’m talking noodles, I’m talking AI menu (sad). I will be there, though.

COMING SOON

A new cafe, SUNNYSIDE, is coming to 40 Gillian St, New Lynn and will be opening next Wednesday, on the 16th.

The people behind MAMA in Newmarket have a new Greek (!) restaurant called OUZO, coming to Takapuna. Opening late September.

EVENTS + NEWS

Everybody Eats has GEORGIAN NIGHT tonight in Onehunga. Pay as you can, as always.

The first-ever KARANGAHAPE FARMERS MARKET is on this Saturday at Hopetoun Alpha from 8am. It promises fresh produce and local food, including beef and lamb from Elaine’s Farm, ice cream from Milk and Orchid (which honestly also looks Malaysian run, there’s just something about us and ice cream…), eggs, flowers, pizza and more. If you have seen anyone farming anything on K Rd itself, however, I urge you to contact the police.

There’s a CULPRIT 4.0 alumni dinner on Sunday with the return of co-founder Jordan MacDonald, plus Daruish from Cazador, Leslie from Apero, and more. $149pp.

By Mike

A rebellion is at hand. Pushed over the edge by the realisation that the Government’s fast-track approvals scheme could cost Council an additional $5B in unfunded costs accruing from more than 50,000 unplanned, and unappealable, additional homes, councillors this week began OPENLY EXPLORING HOW TO SUBVERT ROGUE DEVELOPMENTS before they break greenfield ground, with not-so-veiled threats to reduce or withhold services that the new households will rely upon. It’s as yet unclear if there is a legal means of doing so, but the threat alone could give prospective buyers pause and threaten the initiatives' viability. Absurdly, even if Council was aligned with the out-of-sequence growth waved through by the unelected quango of fast-track commissioners (a group who, it seems, have never seen a sprawling development submission they didn’t love), the Government’s rates cap policy would in any case kneecap the ability to raise the funds necessary.

Auckland is a primate city, more than three times the size of the motu's next largest and disproportionally influential. We are perhaps now approaching a crisis of democracy, as the will of the city’s elected representatives is thwarted by an ideologically opposed central government. With a third of Aotearoa’s population and almost 40% of the economy, in many other countries Tāmaki – at nearly the population of South Australia – would be a province or state within a federal structure and substantially more empowered to govern itself. As things stand, Auckland’s reluctant subservience to Wellington is glossed by ministers who are happy to promote more localism, right up until it interferes with their priorities. We may not see barricades go up at the Bombays, but greater autonomy for our greatest city is a constitutional rumble that will gradually get louder with every further high-handed slight.

Choice items from the liquidation sales of Auckland’s two-speed recovery.
By Simon

OPTIMUS PRIME
Current bid $320, Closes Monday
Accepts 40 different voice commands (including transform!), completes missions, accepts remote control from your phone and has a library of actions built in, with more downloadable. RRP: $1499.00 - seriously.

TOSHIBA X-RAY STARTER UNIT
Current bid $36, Closes today
I’m not sure how much more stuff or expertise is required to turn this into a working X-Ray machine, but if it’s not too much or too hard, what a great thing to have around the house!

OAKLEY META VANGUARD AI SUNGLASSES
Current bid $400, Closes this morning
Having everyone call you a pervert or scumbag everywhere you go wearing these is a small price to pay for getting to film everyone against their will.

40 BOTTLES OF KEWPIE MAYONNAISE
Current bid $70, Closes this morning
The greatest mayonnaise in the world, and so much of it. Slight hitch: the best before date is this month. Good luck!

By Simon

THURSDAY 10TH

IN THE IMAGE OF THE CITY
Objectspace, Free
Objectspace’s big spring show about the fringes of the city curated by Kathy Waghorn and Kim Paton and featuring work by Edith Amituanai, Safa, Emina and Fatima El Samad, Matthew Galloway and many more! This is your first chance to go to an Objectspace opening since Kaan Hiini called them ‘surprisingly raucous’ in his Cringe intro so you can finally go see what he was on about. If you’re looking for a slightly more chilled out environment to experience the show in, there’s a talk on Saturday morning with the curators with coffee and croissants for $10.

LEILEHUA LANZILOTTI
Audio Foundation, $15
QUICK FACT: Lanzilotti is an accomplished composer from Hawaii and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2022! Also playing: Karen Plimmer on brailler and harp and Paige Moffat on electronics.

DOLLY PARTON TRIBUTE
Goblin, Free
If you’re on a Dolly bender, DJs CC and Kenny Rogers are playing Parton all night after Goblin Girls, and if your itch still needs scratchin’ you can go see The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at the Hollywood on Saturday at 6pm and The Academy is playing Nine to Five on the 23rd.

FRIDAY 11TH

CHRIS TSE: DANCE FLOOR ROMANCE
Rocketman, Free
The Auckland launch event for a new book of poetry from ex poet-laureate Chris Tse. With Ethan Christiansen, Jiaqiao Liu, Zech Sokai and Sophie van Wardenberg.

CRISTOPH EL TRUENTO, DYLAN BISCUIT, RUBI DU
Whammy, $20
Jazzy, downbeat night at Whammy. Starts at 8 and has a fantastic budgie-centric poster.

DELUSIONAL DREAMLAND
Neck of the Woods, $25
Fifth anniversary show for Delusional Dreamland and first birthday for Community Service Records with: Caru, Emilie, Goldtooth, Hyan & Blem with Letoa, Danni, Lyall and Grumpy Girl – the last three of which are pulling double duty, playing here on Saturday as well in support of German UKG DJ, Diffrent. AND there’s also a Sunday session of this main show at Nami with the same DJs.

SATURDAY 12TH

TULIP FESTIVAL
Eden Garden, $14
I love tulips, the tidiest of all the flowers, and they are promising over 15,000 bulbs this year - presumably safe in the knowledge that no one is going to show up and count them. There will also be a raffle and the consistently rapacious people at Eden Garden would like to make it clear that food and face painting is not included in your ticket price. If you are recoiling at the fee, there’s the Spring Flower Show at the Western Springs community hall at the same time which is $2 and the Orchid society is next door to that for $3. Pack your Claratyne.

MOISTURE CONTENT
514 New North Rd, Free
A fun group show curated by Sav Mattyasovsky in a two-hour sublet of a house just up from the Kingsland shops. Runs only from 6-8pm on Saturday and features 15 young creative practitioners of various stripes.

LEBANON HANOVER
Double Whammy, $70
Swiss/English post-punk/darkwave duo, in town for the first time with support from Community Treatment Order and DJs Passion Crypt, Pennie Black and Gravedigger.

FMG NEW ZEALAND PRO/AM
Aotea Centre, $80
Bodybuilding competition! Interestingly, if you are competing, the official FMG tanning package includes a skin primer, then a base coat (applied on Thursday and Friday) and then a top coat applied back stage just before you go on.

SUNDAY 13TH

CRL OPENS!
Around town, from $3 (1 zone)
It might be a little claustrophobic taking the train on its first day but after all the years of it being both the source of our current deprivation and ultimate salvation, and somehow the only thing I’ve seen for the actual release day is a promotion where you can commemorate this historic day by getting a Thomas the Tank Engine flash tattoo, upload a photo of it tagging in the K Rd business association you could win one of 4 $500 prizes. Oh and the Greens are celebrating at their Krd office with SPEECHES.

SUNDANCE
Silo, Koha
A read through of Alex MacDonald’s new play Sundance, directed by Brita McVeigh about a film making couple at the Sundance festival after one of the couple doesn’t applaud when the other’s film wins the Audience Award. Same format as the Nayheon Lee reading last weekend, which looked like it went really well!

TUESDAY 15TH

THE BETHS: BY REQUEST
The Hollywood, $55
The great The Beths trying out a new audience request show format. 

WEDNESDAY 16TH

ASHNIKKO
Town Hall, $100
US hyper-pop bubble-gum singer touring their second album, Smoochies.