Australia’s notorious Port Arthur
Australia has been celebrating its convict past — again. In 2010, 11 dinky-di former convict sites were inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. They...
Sydney’s Necropolis Receiving House
In the mid-19th century Sydney had a grave issue. The city had run out of cemetery plots. To resolve the matter, the City Fathers...
Australia’s Parliament House turns 25
In 2013, our Aussie neighbours are celebrating more anniversaries than you can poke a stick at. A number of bicentenaries relate to the opening...
Christchurch‚s Botanic Gardens visitor centre
It was by chance I stumbled across Christchurch’s first civic building to rise from the ashes of the quakes.
I had been meandering alongside the...
They’re changing guards at Buckingham Palace . . .
This month HRH Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 60 years of marriage to HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Dr Kerry Rodgers thought it appropriate...
Westminster’s chiming clock
Tucked away at the north-eastern end of London’s Houses of Parliament is that ultimate British icon — Westminster’s Great Clock Tower. The name of...
New Zealand Parliament’s home
The Government of the day was in no hurry to spend money on new accommodation, and it was not until February 1911 that Prime...
Kawau’s Cornish pumphouse
Just two years after Lieutenant-Governor William Hobson RN did his thing at Waitangi, a thin copper lode was discovered on Kawau Island. Four years...
ING House, Amsterdam
This is certainly what Internationale Nederlanden Groep, aka ING Group, did in 1998. They called in Amsterdam based-architects Roberto Meyer and Jeroen van Schooten...
Dame Zaha Mohammad Hadid: 1950-2016
Architect Dame Zaha Hadid died on March 31, aged 65. Her subsequent obituaries have generated as much controversy as did her life works.
Royal Institute...