When was the concept done? 1974?

hrmm... perhaps the concept of the exquisite-corpse-throughout-history-and-region was used as inspiration?


gables
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striped masonry

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modern-ish base

Those gables in the third image look very Indiana-suburban-rec-center. Granted, it's just an early rendering, so let's hope there is more refinement as the project progresses. Let's hope.

liberty bell is always an optimist!

For those outside NZ, Sir Miles Warren is an architectural legend here. Founded Warren & Mahoney in the 1960's. Sort of like a NZ version of Gordon Bunschaft/SOM type practice.

But this concept looks like it was done in Sir Miles some time ago, hence my tongue in cheek question. W&M's current typical work doenst look like this [and I should know a little about this].

So, wait... you're upset that an architect showed restraint, fitted the building within cultural and neighborhood context, maximized the amount of total usable floor space and maintained the rhythm of the block by sacrificing "green space" over challenging height restrictions?

I don't know about you... but the glory days of Architecture(tm) are over for at least a decade. If anything, cheesy vernacular architecture that maximizes profits while maintaining some dignity will probably be a safer bet when it comes to making money.

It might be cool to use 1/3 of a lot for a water feature... but that's potential income you could be making by renting out square space to bangers and mash or meat pies or haggis or whatever-the-food-de-jour-is-in-NZ carts.

I don't know about you but I'd rather be pulling 3000 dollars a month renting out land to micro shops than I would be spending 3000 dollars a month for building giant duck toilet.

seems like a pretty clumsy ye olde building to me. two of my favourite buildings in nz are warren's: his own house/studio, and the Christ's College Dormitories and Chapel. but I haven't found much inspiring work from WAM recently. this one certainly doesn't say 'world-class institution of the arts' to me like the university seems to think it does.

looks like a generic college student center. Sorry, Orochi, while I agree that fancy, trendy icon architecture maybe over for awhile (and hopefully longer), the answer is not faux-historicist or lowest common denominator "vernacular". There's a difference between well-done vernacular and pastiche.

its disrespectful to the quality of the older buildings on the block to put pastiche next door, regardless of how well the new buildings match the massing of the old.

"Warren and Mahoney believes enduring quality requires cross-pollination between design disciplines. We integrate the disciplines of architecture."

above excerpted from WAM google web search. Any body want to hazard a guess as to what the 'disciplines' of architecture are and how that idea might relate to the Conservatorium idea? Feel Free to comment on the WAM proposal for expo pavillion also.

it makes you sound cool to say that you are interdisciplinary, but I haven't seen too much evidence of this from the big practices in nz

I think there are some nice moments - theres some nice restrained bruatlist moments on the courtyard side. Unfortunately, some of the roof forms and materials are quite residential.