Accent Architects, Wellington, Wairarapa

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An impression of how the Terrace Tunnel will look once the internal and external LED Floodlights are erected

November 2011

Proposed Public Artwork for Wellington

In late 2010 the Wellington Tunnels Alliance (consortia made up of the New Zealand Transport Agency, AECOM, Leightons, and SKM) approached the Wellington City Council about the idea of incorporating aesthetic features into the fabric of the upcoming Terrace Tunnel renovation.

The Council supported the idea in principle, and after discussions with the Wellington Sculpture Trust recommended Accent Architects Principal, and Artist, Gina Jones for the project. Rather than looking at the Terrace Tunnel in isolation, Gina looked at the project holistically and so she suggested an artwork theme for the 11km length of State Highway 1 that runs between Ngauranga Gorge to the north and Mt Victoria tunnel to the south. Gina was inspired by the rainbows that can be frequently seen over Wellington Harbour and she proposed the creation of a ‘Rainbow Corridor’ along this stretch of highway. Each band of the naturally occurring rainbow colour sequence would be achieved via the lighting of New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) infrastructure items such as pedestrian bridges, the underside of overbridges, traffic signal towers, and of course The Terrace and Mt Victoria tunnels.

The Terrace Tunnel reflects the Orange band of the rainbow. Orange is said to stimulate enthusiasm and creativity while also increasing the craving for food. Orange is therefore a very apt choice for the entry into the ‘Creative Capital’ and on through into the culinary establishments of Cuba Street. The Terrace Tunnel artwork has begun with orange wall panels. Gina’s plan also includes the installation of orange lighting via LED floodlights in the tunnel’s interior and additional external LED floodlights to light the tunnel entries in orange. We will continue to work closely with NZTA and WCC to see how this might be achieved.

We hope that the next step in the Rainbow Corridor will be the lighting of the Mt Victoria tunnel. Purple is the last colour in the rainbow spectrum, and its British Royalty connotations fit well for the lighting of a tunnel named after a British Monarch. If it is completed, we believe the ‘Rainbow Corridor’ will be an exciting gateway into Wellington and showcases the creativity of the city. Accent Architects has been proud to be involved in this very important project.

While the entire Rainbow Corridor theme is only in its early stages, we hope that it will be embraced over time, as and when feasible and affordable, by both central and local government bodies.

Concepts for the Rainbow Corridor’s, Red Zone

The Rainbow Corridor with its two rainbows mirrored on the Red. Purple Fibonacci light sequence proposal for the Mt Victoria tunnel

June 2011

News Page: 286 Oriental Parade

Street view of 286 Oriental Parade Wellington.

The client moved into their new house on Wellington’s iconic Oriental Parade in April 2011, drawing to a close a long journey that started in 2007 when eight architectural practices were approached by the clients to discuss their vision for a new house on this high profile site. One architectural competition, one arduous Resource Consent process, and 14 months of construction later, the Accent designed house has been realised.

286 Oriental Parade has been receiving a lot of attention since the scaffolding came down with waves of weekend strollers stopping, viewing, and discussing. The home owners have been feeling like they have a celebrity house, and there is rarely a function that someone doesn’t engage with one of the Accent directors about the house. Trends magazine picked up on the story and are running a feature on the house in their November issue. Trends were attracted to profile the house as it is very different from the long running NZ architectural vernacular of flat roofed, glass box designs that have been gracing architectural magazines for the past decade.

286 Oriental Parade was unashamedly designed for the client and for the site in which it is located. Viewers often use the words handsome and striking to describe the house, while others grapple with what their response to it is. Accent is pleased that the house has been successful in getting people to think about architecture and context, something that is rare today.