Random Play: An aerial ballet of steel and cement
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Then you'd miss out on stuff like this.
You mean the maximum security prison in the span on the right?
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Yeah that was to match this maximum security device behind it; built by Edward I to subdue we the natives.
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Interestingly both the bridge on the right and the Britannia bridge at Menai were both built by Robert Stephenson. I know which bridge I prefer.
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Yeah that was to match this maximum security device behind it; built by Edward I to subdue we the natives.
Obviously the locals took a fair bit of subduing.
Building that edifice in only six years would have taken a fair bit of manpower - many of them holding whips!
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Why does everyone hate cut n cover?
cos you have to destroy everything above the tunnel first. 500 apparently
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...houses. 500 houses. doh
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Try Santiago Calatrava for inspirational possibilities with a Cable Stayed Bridge.
The current Auckland Harbour Bridge is a disgrace. From its genesis this structure has always been the steep, cheap connection for moving vehicles propelled by fossil-fuel across the Waitemata harbour.
In the 21st Century it is ridiculous to think Auckland is still totally reliant on fossil fuels to cross the city. It is rueful no plans are being advanced by the Government and Councils to remedy this pathetic reliance in the dawn of climate change, peak oil, hiking oil prices, and increasing evidence of the impact living adjacent to motorways has on population health and the coastal environment .
This old bridge is not a sustainable structure and never has been from an environmental perspective. It stands as an anachronism – adorned with radiating fumes it is a bogun symbol loudly crowning JAFAdom and brutally savaging the Waitemata coastline. It is an embarrassing disgrace with the clippons now closed to heavy trucks,and necessitating urgent unscheduled maintenance. A tunnel crossing is effectively adding just another clippon to support the inadequacies of this gammy pentagenarian.
Auckland needs to demonize the ugly beast as an icon to the love affair of the private car, and carefully choreograph its disintegration to a fireworks display and chords of Don McGlashan’s Harbour Bridge. This festivity should be at the opening of a new bold and heroic bridge spanning from Wynyard Point to Onewa Road. Cuting out the St Mary’s Bay dog-leg, this new bridge will save the Aucklanders 100 million km/yr in the 80 million trips/year, release several kilometres of waterfront (more than the ports sit on), and enable rail to extend/evolve the Northshore.busway. Brunch in Northcote could be a brisk walk or cycle from the CBD adding new commercial opportunities and experiences.
The old bridge could retire with dignity serving its first sustainable gesture as an artificial reef marooned somewhere in the depths of the Hauraki Gulf. Only when sanctioned to this sub-aquatic state will it begin to gravitate a sense of awe and marvel.
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Cannot understand how anyone can live with a record player -- even for just a wee while. It would be the last thing I would pack and first out of the box.
Graham, do you always listen to your records via a record player?
After using a player to convert LP to CD my records go in to storage until they need to be used as a master again.
LPs seem so inconvenient after CDs. Now I can skip back or forward without damage to stylus or groove.
Compilations are a breeze once the wave file has been split up as individual tracks. -
After using a player to convert LP to CD my records go in to storage until they need to be used as a master again.
The magic of technology. I don't lament the impending death of the CD (at least I hope it is impending) in favour of the truly digital option of using your PC to manage your collection. I would love to convert my LPs to digital, and will do it one day, but the joy of vinyl still exists for me at least, especially those fiddly little singles!
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I have travelled very long distances to see great bridges such as Norman Foster's beautiful span in the south of France.
Wow!! I'd travel from Christchurch to see this one in action. Go for it Auckland.
It is an artist's impression of the tentatively chosen design for a lifting bridge at the entrance to the Viaduct Harbour, linking it with a planned waterfront development to the west, known as Wynyard Quarter.
Sometimes I'm in awe of architects, especially when they produce a design that is not just stunningly right for its location but so obvious that I would never have thought of it.
What could be more elemental to the Viaduct than tall yachts? They were the very reason for its redevelopment. And what in this world is more elegant than a modern America's Cup sail?
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Excellent post Richard.
I have a question.
How come, if you can write with such passion about the future of transport in Auckland, you were against my proposal to run fibre in the sewers as a FTTH solution? -
I love good architecture, whether it be old or new, and I always stop at the Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa to pay tribute to the efforts in my weee small way :-) In other countries I always seek out interesting architecture and am a firm believer in "build it and they will come" so would love to see an attractive merger of bridge and landscape. Stunning idea.
Here is a great merger of building and transport system and it pays tribute to music which I figured , since...well, here's to Jimmy Hendrix. -
What about, build a modest lifting bridge, with a few bits of shiny bling bling welded onto it (for the super yacht's).
Ok, and what does all the forms of traffic do while bridge is lifting?Do we watch the sandy beach with the artificial surf?Let,s say as a necessary evil, a harbour crossing helps us to move to the real sandy beaches on t'other side. A bridge could be a fine example of how to do it right.In terms of aesthetics, good engineering, and good future planning, it could have the ability to set an example for the rest of our cities needs, and not just a rugby stadium:-) To my mind, aesthetics outweigh artificial.
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This is not a harbor crossing bridge, its a toy.
So, back to the drawing board. Though, in the city, we could make this of architectural excellence and consider all forms of transport intelligently,(whether by not so super yacht/bus/train/ bicycle and the cars) Of course it can be done, form and function.
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for a lifting bridge at the entrance to the Viaduct Harbour,
For clarity's sake. The entrance to the Viaduct Harbour is not the same as the harbour bridge. There used to be a lifting bridge there before the area had it's makeover for the Americas Cup in 2000. I'm pretty sure the lifting bridge was between Quay St. and Jellico St.
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But again its all subjective.
yes.
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For now :)
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Nice arial photo Steven.
The bridge (which ever is used) is needed and connects Tank Farm with the rest of the Viaduct nicely.
Of concern to me is the apartments and their size in relation to the space and their impact on the waterfront. It is a great place for it but just have a look at the Hilton Htl one warf over as to how far they'll take it if you let them.
Further to that increase in occupation I'm concerned about stormwater (from up the hill) and the fact eveything seaward of Fanshaw St is reclaimed land - think over-flow of sewage into the harbour around the viaduct.I am in favour of the proposal for tankfarm, just dot the i and cross the t.
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