The Leaning Tower of ... RONGOTAI

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

from The Dominion Post....

Mixed response to Wellington Airport's leaning tower

By NEIL RATLEY | 6:04PM - Tuesday, 31 March 2015


The tower is designed to sit at a 12.5 degree angle.

IT'S NOT an April Fool's Day joke.

Wellington Airport's proposed leaning control tower has drawn mixed reaction from the public.

Some thought they had been played for a fool a day early, some loved the idea of the leaning tower of Rongotai, while others thought the wonky design was shonky.

Airways New Zealand has lodged a resource consent application with Wellington City Council for a 32-metre-high airport control tower, designed to lean into the prevailing northerly wind at an angle of 12.5 degrees.
Upper Hutt IT project manager Guy Alexander said it was too early for an April Fool's joke and the building looked great.

JohnGAnderson commented “I hope this is an April Fool's Day joke that got released a little early but worry that it could be in keeping with all the other gimmicky ‘pieces of art’ that have sprung up around the airport of recent years and been watered with ratepayers hard earned dollars.”

Mark Reynolds tweeted “It's an $18 million joke”.

Jessica Smee, 19, thought the design looked “really cool” and fitted in with Wellington's “quirky culture”.

Sue62 praised the idea. “Good on you Airways for doing something different,” she commented.

Otter8 said “Yes. Finally a building of interest. Bout time someone decided to put fun back into buildings!”

However, many people thought the design was unoriginal and would open up Wellington to ridicule.

Kempo056 observed “Wellywood...Leaning tower...here we go again another copycat! Lets try being original Wellington!”

nzneville5 thought it was “A ridiculous idea. It might be fun for a year or two but after that, the whole world will laugh at our stupidity”.

Auskiwi1016 didn't believe the lean would would enhance the look of the building. “So they design a boring, ugly building then lean it over. Doesn't help, it's still a boring, ugly building.”

Jerry7 labelled the design “an eyesore”. “This isn't quirky, neither is it clever architecture. Its simply a rectangle nudged to one side. If this is so-called inspiring, God help us.”

Leaning tower no joke - news - dominion-post | Stuff.co.nz