Architecture in action in Auckland City

An opportunity to see architecture from brief to designover one day in central Auckland – happening Saturday 17 October As part of this year’s Auckland Architecture Week, one event aims to make the creation ofarchitecture as transparent as possible.

The one-day Design Charette on Saturday 17 October,to be held at the Union Fish Building, is a ten-hour design competition that will showcase theinitial design stage of a development for a central Auckland site.“Essentially, it’s speed architecture, with what would normally happen over several weekscompressed into one day”, says Jerome Buckwell, one of the organisers of the event.

“The event will appeal particularly to people who are considering architecture as a career, aswell as those who are interested in architecture, specifically how architectural ideas aredeveloped at the initial design stage.”

The brief is based around a central Auckland site earmarked for development, with a nominalprize donated by Hub Street Equipment going to the winner. The site developer will berepresented on the judging panel.

The event will begin at 8:30am when the brief will be given to the 10 handpicked teams, with arepresentation of both small and large architectural practices and including several award-winning practices, with the prize-giving at 6:30pm.

“We suggest you make a day of it in the city – come in at the beginning of the day to see thebrief and different team approaches, before catching some other Architecture Weekexhibitions, talks and movies, or the St Patrick’s Square opening celebration. Then come backlater in the day to see the design ideas translate from paper to 3D models,” Buckwell says.

“The only other way you’d get to see to see the development of architectural ideas like thiswould be to spend several weeks in a practice – which is not feasible for most people!”

The recent Queens Wharf competition finalist schemes will also still be on display at the samevenue for those who have not yet had a chance to view them.Auckland Architecture Week is a series of events, presentations and films which will be heldfrom 11-18 October 2009 at locations around central Auckland. The full schedule is available at http://www.architectureweek.co.nz/