blog 5

The former Bank of New Zealand on Lampton quay was the first Bank of New Zealand. Built between 1899 and 1901 by architect Thomas Turnbull, the Bank building is Barque revival. It had a use of strong geometric shapes with the flued columns, arched windows and triangle cupolas but also lavish ornaments such as the lions and human heads imbedded in the walls, and organic flowing curves within the structure. It was said that there was meant to be more ornaments but the Government wouldn’t allow it, saying it was to lavish for a bank.

Before the bank was built John Plimmer owned a warehouse “Plimmer’s Ark”m the timber from this was recontracted into the bank and can still be seen today in the BNZ basement. The bank was used as the National Head Office and Wellington branch from 1901 through to 1984. Following this it moved to a new location. People had plans to pull it down to make way for the building boom of the 1960’s - 80’s, but for the next 20 years people fought to keep the bank building. In 1999 the bank was opened as a retail complex that has access to an underground mall and The Grand Arcade on Willis street. The Bank is now protected by the Heritage Order, meaning that the building will not be destroyed in the near future.

Kelly, M. (1961). Heritage trail. Old shoreline, Wellington city. Wellington City Council, Wellington, New Zealand

Cattell, J. (1986). Historic buildings of Wellington: a register of classified buildings. Government Printing Office Publishing, Wellington, N.Z.

Griffin, RH. (2001). Old BNZ Wellington : an architectural survey of the buildings used by the Bank of New Zealand on the Lambton Quay - Customhouse Quay - Hunter Street site. O'Griffy. Auckland, N.Z.

Extraordinary strength.

"Could I put pieces in there that would hold their own in this extraordinary structure?"

                                                                                                                   -Dale Chihuly

I tried to find the right balance between the curves and straight lines in creating this model.  I looked into the work of Dale Chihuly an American Glass sculptor. In my research I came across two contrasting pieces of work one focusing more on the curves the other on the linear aspects; ‘Garnet Brown Persian’ is made with just one single sheet of glass this object represents fluidity with the use of soft forms and curving geometry. While the ‘Red Spears’ grasps the use of balance and strength, as each pillar is balanced against each other. Both made from glass but the two objects contrasts each other immensely in form and structure. One is strong and stagnate and works against it surroundings, while the other is soft and fluid and moves with the surroundings.

I tried to incorporate the main aspects of his work into my own with the use of soft curving lines and asymmetrical forms with the use of the vellum strips curving within itself all at different lengths to create the idea of fluid. Like the ‘Red Spears’ I tried to create a piece that was supported only by its self, this is shown with the use of string as tension is created as the vellum strips pull away from themselves, creating linear lines with in the curves. The use of thread helps to create soft movement within the pieces, as it is as delicate as the vellum so will move with the conditions placed on it. 

Garent Brown Persian-Dale Chihuly

red spears-Dale Chihuly

Chihuly, D. (2008). 365 days / Dale Chihuly. New York : Abrams