If I were an airline owner I would give the catering contract to McDonald’s. I really hate standing in queues. Whether its for tickets to Lady blah blah, waiting for a big red bus, or ordering a quinoa burger, queuing is as annoying as a Piranha in your bath. The reason for my vehement intolerance […]
Its that time of year when we reflect on who has influenced us over the last year. Time magazine have come out with their annual person of the year issue and named Ebola workers as their choice. You will certainly get no disagreement out of me about their selection. Those working with Ebola patients are […]
Internet shopping is killing the retailer. Time to invite men to town. Mrs Alexander is a seasoned shopper. She can pound the pavement for days at a time, armed with high heels and a handbag that can swallow possessions like a whale trawling krill. She seems to never tire of fluorescent lights, bopping shop assistants […]
The island that time forgot – well, part of the island. As you are well aware, cities are where the action is. All over the world, people are moving from countryside to city. Cities are growing faster than an angry teenager. Auckland is predicted reach 2.2 million by 2040. By 2060, Melbourne is likely to […]
Be wary of labels. Some cities feel like towns while some towns feel like cities. Qatar has been in the media recently because it is set to host the 2022 soccer World Cup. This has been a tad controversial because they are building the football stadiums using Nepalese workers who have to live in houses […]
We are told that the pace of change is rapid and relenting, yet so many things just don’t seem to change at all. The way I see it, the pace of change can be deceptively slow. In an age where technology changes faster than a politician’s promise, we expect ideas and design to also charge […]
The new Len Lye Centre under construction in New Plymouth is the city’s “I Can’t Get No-Satisfaction”. The Rolling Stones were formed in 1962. Other great events in 1962 included Pope John’s excommunication of Fidel Castro, snow falling in San Francisco, and the birth of my beautiful partner Lynne. In the early years, despite their […]
We hear much about Big Brother, but what about your Mother? Urban myths are tantalising – especially the ‘Oh My God’ ones like Kentucky Fried rats or that a tooth will dissolve if you leave it in Coca Cola overnight. Then there is the famous and pervasive man not landing on the moon. Did you […]
In this age of global connection, it’s hard to believe we all don’t think the same. The world is unbelievably connected – just ask sexy Siri. As information envelops us like a London fog, there seems to be no excuse for ignorance. Even if you wish to escape it you don’t know in which direction […]
In the pursuit of collective identity, Landscape Architects risk falling into the ‘club rules’ trap. It has taken me years of angst, but I have reluctantly joined a club. Not just any club mind, but a golf club. Despite my love of golf, (it keeps me humble), I joined very reluctantly. Not a biggy you […]
