Atrium

The new Atrium at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, designed by architect Noel Lane, is a very successful contemporary intervention in a historic listed, & much-loved, neo-classical building. The original building was built to a design by Auckland architectural firm Grierson, Aimer and Draffin, after they won a design competition funded by the Institute of British Architects.

The Museum was built as a memorial those who died in the Great War (WW1), and the top floor remains a memorial to the human tragedy of war. The original Sanctuary with the names of fallen soldiers from WW1 has been joined by the Hall of Memories for WW2. A number of related galleries complete the floor, including the excellent Scars on the Heart which shows the terrible cost of war on human lives. There is little glory on show, but a lot of pain, loss, fear, and mud.

The new Atrium provides new office and work room spaces, as well as function rooms, and a secondary entrance. The old southern courtyard - a barren, cold, empty space - was given a new glass and copper dome roof. Beneath this, is a Fijian Kauri clad bowl, though supported on 4 columns, appears suspended. The form of the bowl speaks to that of the semi-circular Portland stone courtyard wall, with it's regular grid of rectangular windows.

This entrance gives the best access to the special exhibitions hall, which was where my mother and I were headed today, to see the V&A exhibition Selling Dreams, One Hundred Years of Fashion Photography. My only complaint about it, is that it was too short...

I have finally got internet working at my new flat, and have back-blipped the last two days:

Monday - A New View
Tuesday - Yellow