Memory boxes
While the 1970s are now certainly historic, it’s still a stretch for most people to think of that decade in association with our nation’s heritage buildings.
Where other councils may struggle to acknowledge Modern heritage, Whakatane District Council has shown considerable leadership by scheduling the Whakatane Airport terminal building on its district plan.
The building was designed by former Hamiltonian and 2016 NZ Institute of Architects’ gold medal winner Roger Walker.
Completed in 1971, it has all the hallmarks of Walker’s Post-Modern style in its referencing of colonial architecture and use of bold geometric forms and vivid colours.
The concrete block turret houses the stairwell providing access to the control tower and each element within the building is clearly articulated through different roof forms and fenestration. The terminal building was designed to accommodate future expansion, but today it remains as built and thus retains a very high level of authenticity.
Walker has written that the district council wanted to erect a distinctive ‘‘gateway’’ building at the airport, one that would welcome visitors to the western Bay of Plenty. In 1975, the building was awarded a Tourist Design Award (I wonder what happened to them?) and was described at the time as ‘‘excitingly different’’ from run-of-themill airport terminals. Before it was built, air traffic control was evidently undertaken from a van that was driven out to the airport when a plane was due to land.
Roger Walker’s Whakatane Airport terminal building was awarded an NZIA Enduring Architecture Award in 2003. The first commercial building to come out of the architect’s own office, the terminal has also been described as paying tribute to the humped form of Moutohora (Whale Island).
The building is proof, if any were required, that regional New Zealand boasts some of this country’s most significant works of modern architecture. Although earmarked for redevelopment or demolition in the late 2000s, the building now appears to have a more secure future. It serves over 25,000 Air Chathams passengers a year and is jointly owned by the Whakatane District Council and the Ministry of Transport. Winter is here as I write this. We may yet see some of that fabulous autumn weather, neither hot nor particularly cold.
Right now though, our minds turn to warm jumpers, jackets and coats.
This is one of the very few black and white photos from the John Millar collection of H & J Court’s windows, picture below. See the animal outlines at the back of the display. Remember the camel coats? They were the height of fashion – or were they? This display features alpaca, cashmere, mohair and llama. Maybe I didn’t earn enough in 1967. Oh, yes, £505pa.
Our 6th April offering featured David Peart and his wife, Heather Peart. Many folk also identified the two to the left of them – Sir Don Llewellyn and university staff member, Yo Neilson. It was David & Heather Peart who aroused the greater interest – they were dressed for the occasion.
Contributed by Perry Rice, Heritage librarian – photographs, Hamilton Central Library. If you have any information you would like to pass on or would like to buy an electronic copy of the photo, please e-mail perry.rice@hcc.govt.nz quoting: hcl_ 14623