Comments on: Beehive third ugliest building in world

By: Clint Heine

Clint Heine — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:06:13 +0000

Done 2 out of the top 3, reckon the Beehive should have been in at number two, the Zizkov Television Tower in Praha aint that bad. Especially if you want to compare the cities they lay around it… Praha leaves Welly for dead

By: RRM

RRM — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:14:15 +0000

It is definitely in the Ministry of Works “concrete-everything” style. It certainly isn’t beautiful but I wouldn’t call it ugly either. IMO it would have looked better if

(1) if the copper roof had tarnished to copper oxide blue/green as expected.

(2) If the top of it came to some sort of tall aspirational spire it would be an improvement; as it is it unfortunately has the exact proportions of an upside-down bucket.

Didn’t someone once famously describe it as looking “like a dynamo (electric generator), a place of energy”…?
I like that it is round, while all of the money-making buildings in town are rectilinear. Sort of acknowledges that it has a completely different function.

But then in making these comments, I am the only person I know who likes the National Library building too…

By: Graeme Edgeler

Graeme Edgeler — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:02:50 +0000

what other country boasts something so distinctive for their seat of government?

Samoa’s Fono is in a pretty distinctive building.

By: expat

expat — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:52:08 +0000

Maybe if we genetically engineer some Varroa mites …

By: Grant Michael McKenna

Grant Michael McKenna — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:35:18 +0000

you’d think a beehive with that many queens in it would produce better honey

By: Rex Widerstrom

Rex Widerstrom — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:43:26 +0000

I’m with BlairM… the intention was always to have an extended Parliament Building – the stairs are meant to be in the middle, not off to the left.

Wasn’t there a plan at some point to lift the Beehive and roll it back to where Broadcasting House used to be? If we’re that keen on it – and I admit I do have a bit of a soft spot for its iconic status, if not its functionality – then get it out of the way of what should be one of the better looking Parliaments.

Then the PM of the day could use a Beehive office to punish any Ministers s/he didn’t like

By: paradigm

paradigm — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:12:42 +0000

The place still looks better than the University of Auckland’s science buildings.

Then again, if you put barbed wire around those science buildings, they’d be mistaken for mt eden prison.

By: Rich Prick

Rich Prick — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:53:13 +0000

Heh! And to think that the Marlborough District Council was so inspired by it, they built their Council chamber from the same plans.

By: Jman

Jman — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:29:51 +0000

I’m glad they included Melbournes federation square in their list. That place really is an eyesore!

By: Kris K

Kris K — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:01:18 +0000

I agree with Repton; the Beehive beats hands down any generic ‘architectural’ tower block.
I’ve always liked the originality of the Beehive – what other country boasts something so distinctive for their seat of government?

By: Phil

Phil — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:49:15 +0000

I once had to deliver copys of the CPI publication to Cullen’s office. I got so lost on the way out (and refused to ask for directions, typical…) that I ended up in the ’secret tunnel’ that comes out on Lambton Quay. That place really is a rabbit warren.

By: Repton

Repton — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:18:06 +0000

I’ll take the Beehive over a generic office block. At least we’ve got something distinctive..

By: Chris C

Chris C — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:57:40 +0000

What’s first? The new Supreme Court?

By: MikeE

MikeE — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:54:06 +0000

Sounds very similar to the article from last week ratign Auckland #3 party town in the world..

By: jcuknz

jcuknz — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:42:56 +0000

I’m sure bees like it though.

By: Murray

Murray — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:32:12 +0000

There’s never a 9.3 when you really need one.

By: big bruv

big bruv — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:25:28 +0000

Another reason why almost all 60/70’s architecture should be blown up.

By: Murray

Murray — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:16:09 +0000

Or blown up as a job evaluation critique.

By: BlairM

BlairM — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:49:57 +0000

They should knock it flat and finish off the Parliament Building. It’s been put off for 100 years now and it’s time we just swallowed the expense and did it.

By: Manolo

Manolo — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:49:16 +0000

Third ugliest, but first in the world as home of the most timid, indecisive, and aloof Western leader, the “brave” John Key.