The Leaning Tower of ... RONGOTAI
 

from The Dominion Post....

Proposed Wellington air control tower to lean into wind

By TIM DONOGHUE | 8:47AM - Tuesday, 31 March 2015

http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/o...pslqe7ypdf.jpg
THE LEANING TOWER OF RONGOTAI: An architect’s view of how Wellington Airport’s new 32-metre-high
control tower would stand among its neighbours in Tirangi Road, Rongotai. It would be designed to lean
into the prevailing northerly at an angle of 12.5 degrees. — Artwork: STUDIO PACIFIC ARCHITECTURE.

WELLINGTON is poised to become home to the leaning tower of Rongotai.

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.

That would be considerably more than Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa, which leans by about 4 degrees. Even before 1990, when remedial work was done to correct its lean, it was at an angle of only 10 degrees.

The nine-storey Rongotai tower is proposed for an industrial area at the southern end of Tirangi Road, on airport land near Lyall Bay. It would give Wellington Airport's 20 air traffic controllers 360-degree views from the lookout area on the top floor.

Airways chief operating officer Pauline Lamb described the tower, which would cost $18 million, as being in keeping with the local environment.

“This tower combines a super-strong and safe structure with excellent functionality and stunning urban design,” she said. “We wanted something which is a little bit quirky, which reflects Wellington's progressive image.”

“Our controllers will have an excellent view of the airfield from this new site, which is positioned to maximise efficient operations now and into the future. We're looking forward to getting it built, and up and running.”

Architect Evzen Novak, of Studio Pacific Architecture, said plans involved solid base isolation foundation features, which would ensure the building was secure in an earthquake and a southerly.

If the resource consent process went smoothly, Lamb expected construction to begin in November, and it could be operational by December next year.

Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said council planners had advised her the application would probably be publicly notified, particularly given its size and design.

The new building, to replace the 58-year-old control tower in a housing area at the northern end of Tirangi Rd, was essential infrastructure, she said, but “it's good that the community will have its say”.
Airways expects to award construction of the building to Hawkins Construction.

The plans call for a secure fence to be built around its base.

Leaning tower of windy Welly | Stuff.co.nz

I like it.

Day early isn't it?

from The Dominion Post....

Mixed response to Wellington Airport's leaning tower

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

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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

Some dickbrain would spend that much time on an April Fools joke? How about a decent April Fools with strippers or something.

Anyone HERD how the World Cup Cricket went???????????:p

NZ played like gentlemen (and lost). Australia won but played like a bunch of puerile school boy bullies. Did that help?

What really tips off that design btw is the Warehouse in the background. Pure class. Eat your heart out Pisa! :mad:

Something different but will certainly be worth having!!

Which is precisely why I made the post in the World Cup thread in JB.

Re the OP; Most interesting, but you sure it wasn't a day early??

Both the poms and the kiwi's play the game like it should be played. Most decent thinking Australians disown the cricket team, they are thugs and bully's.

mmmmmm, I'm tipping that's why they lost.

I reckon it did help, they won.

Before you claim all the self righteous honours, explain Richard Lowe's actions.

I don't watch a lot of the cricket and yes I'm embarrassed by Haddin's actions but losers always seem to take the high morale ground.

Ask any Pom if they'd prefer a cricket team that plays like the poms and loses to Bangladesh or plays like the Australians and wins a World Cup?

I'd like to know what was said in previous games, what triggered the 'sledging.' The full story is usually pretty interesting.

I bet the 'Architectural mastermind' that designed this hideous monstrosity isn't the one that's got to clean the windows!:ugh:

I prefer to avoid participating in, nor watching any sport that involves any ball(s) of any shape or size.


Fortunately, G.A. flying is outside of those constraints. :)

I doubt the windows will get cleaned, much.

From an European perspective I think it looks ridiculous. Look at the towers they are building in the Middle East or even Edinburgh or Farnborough Tower in the U.K.
There seems to be a lot of offices. Is this going to become the main admin building?

The old tower didn't appear to need so many windows.🙊

Rgds
AyrTC

So that's where the landing charges go. No wonder they need to keep increasing them.

Yes, you have to wonder why the need for all the office space.

Is this a cunning Kiwi 1st of April news report?

Construction of the “Leaning Tower of Wellington Airport” is well underway, as seen on Sunday, 4th December....

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/o...5.jpg~original




Another view this morning (Friday, 16th December) also showing the old control tower in the background....

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/o...v.jpg~original

What's the actual point of having a lean into the wind?

No point at all, really.
Apparently it made it easier to get resource consent. Something about the design looking 'iconic'.