Ian Athfield
Encyclopedia
Ian Charles Athfield is a New Zealand
architect
. He was born in Christchurch
and graduated from the University of Auckland
in 1963 with a Diploma of Architecture. That same year he joined Structon Group Architects, and he became a partner in 1965. In 1968 he was a principal partner in setting up Athfield Architects with Ian Dickson and Graeme John Boucher (Manson).
, Wellington, this distinctive group of structures stands out amongst neighbouring conventional suburban houses. His early projects were constructed with a broad palette of materials including corrugated iron, plaster, stainless steel and fibre glass. As a reaction to much of the bland "Modern" architecture of the period, Athfield built in a deliberately vernacular style using features harking back to colonial buildings. His designs incorporated finials, steeply pitched roofs, timber weatherboards, verandahs and double hung windows. He was also inspired by the architecture of the Greek Islands with their exterior envelopes of continuous plaster and small windows. Conversely, he also much admired the work of Mies van der Rohe with their precise and refined detailing of industrial materials.
Yet another area of influence was the geometric massing of the Japanese Metabolists. Athfield combined all these disparate elements into a highly eclectic and personal style. During the 1970s Athfield built and renovated numerous domestic houses and buildings, developing a distinctive and highly personal design approach based on the repetition of small scale elements and complex massing. Critical opposition to these 'cartoon houses' did not bother him (Manson). Another criticism of Athfield's houses were that they were built for charm and not practicality. Athfield believed, however, that “in a house, you should get a surprise every time you turn a corner and look up” (Manson).
Athfield's practice expanded during the 1980s from mainly residential work to a wider variety of community and commercial buildings. As well as continuing to work on small-scale projects, his portfolio has included churches, pubs, council flats, stadiums and commercial high-rise buildings. Athfield's satisfaction from large commercial buildings, such as Wellington's Telecom Towers, came from his belief that such buildings make a city. Because of this he made sure his buildings addressed the city positively rather than standing away from it (Manson). Athfields best known works include Telecom Towers, Civic Square and Wellington Library, Jade Stadium
in Christchurch and work on the design of the Bangkok rapid transport system.
Over the past 40 years Ian Athfield has reshaped Wellington and other parts of New Zealand with his free spirited creativity. He has been a considerable professional and personal influence on a generation of younger architects. He is the immediate past President of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, judges many design competitions and is a keynote speaker at many overseas conferences. He is still deeply engaged in the practice architecture and current projects include Chews Lane Precinct, the Wellington Overseas Passenger Terminal redevelopment and the Wellington Marine Education Centre.
A documentary on Athfield, Architect of Dreams, has been produced for the NZ Documentary Festival. http://www.docnz.org.nz/2009/wgtn/film/architect-of-dreams
. Over the years he has won 13 NZIA Supreme Awards for his outstanding architectural projects. In 2004 he won the New Zealand Institute of Architects’ highest honour, the Gold Medal. Athfield was the first New Zealand architect to register as an APEC architect.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
. He was born in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
and graduated from the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
in 1963 with a Diploma of Architecture. That same year he joined Structon Group Architects, and he became a partner in 1965. In 1968 he was a principal partner in setting up Athfield Architects with Ian Dickson and Graeme John Boucher (Manson).
Projects
In 1965 Athfield started work on his first major project, Athfield House, for his family and a studio. Located in KhandallahKhandallah
Khandallah is a suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It is located four kilometres northeast of the city centre, on hills overlooking Wellington Harbour....
, Wellington, this distinctive group of structures stands out amongst neighbouring conventional suburban houses. His early projects were constructed with a broad palette of materials including corrugated iron, plaster, stainless steel and fibre glass. As a reaction to much of the bland "Modern" architecture of the period, Athfield built in a deliberately vernacular style using features harking back to colonial buildings. His designs incorporated finials, steeply pitched roofs, timber weatherboards, verandahs and double hung windows. He was also inspired by the architecture of the Greek Islands with their exterior envelopes of continuous plaster and small windows. Conversely, he also much admired the work of Mies van der Rohe with their precise and refined detailing of industrial materials.
Yet another area of influence was the geometric massing of the Japanese Metabolists. Athfield combined all these disparate elements into a highly eclectic and personal style. During the 1970s Athfield built and renovated numerous domestic houses and buildings, developing a distinctive and highly personal design approach based on the repetition of small scale elements and complex massing. Critical opposition to these 'cartoon houses' did not bother him (Manson). Another criticism of Athfield's houses were that they were built for charm and not practicality. Athfield believed, however, that “in a house, you should get a surprise every time you turn a corner and look up” (Manson).
Athfield's practice expanded during the 1980s from mainly residential work to a wider variety of community and commercial buildings. As well as continuing to work on small-scale projects, his portfolio has included churches, pubs, council flats, stadiums and commercial high-rise buildings. Athfield's satisfaction from large commercial buildings, such as Wellington's Telecom Towers, came from his belief that such buildings make a city. Because of this he made sure his buildings addressed the city positively rather than standing away from it (Manson). Athfields best known works include Telecom Towers, Civic Square and Wellington Library, Jade Stadium
Jade Stadium
Lancaster Park, formerly Jade Stadium and currently known as AMI Stadium through sponsorship rights, is a sports stadium situated in Waltham, a suburb of Christchurch in New Zealand....
in Christchurch and work on the design of the Bangkok rapid transport system.
Over the past 40 years Ian Athfield has reshaped Wellington and other parts of New Zealand with his free spirited creativity. He has been a considerable professional and personal influence on a generation of younger architects. He is the immediate past President of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, judges many design competitions and is a keynote speaker at many overseas conferences. He is still deeply engaged in the practice architecture and current projects include Chews Lane Precinct, the Wellington Overseas Passenger Terminal redevelopment and the Wellington Marine Education Centre.
A documentary on Athfield, Architect of Dreams, has been produced for the NZ Documentary Festival. http://www.docnz.org.nz/2009/wgtn/film/architect-of-dreams
Awards
Ian Athfield has won over 60 national and international architecture and design awards. In 1976 he won first prize in the International Competition for the Urban Environment of Developing Countries. In 1978 he was placed first equal in a Low Cost Housing Design Competition in Fiji. Ian was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award in 1997 from The University of AucklandUniversity of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
. Over the years he has won 13 NZIA Supreme Awards for his outstanding architectural projects. In 2004 he won the New Zealand Institute of Architects’ highest honour, the Gold Medal. Athfield was the first New Zealand architect to register as an APEC architect.
Notable works
- Athfield House, Wellington (begun 1968)
- Arlington Council Flats (1970)
- Logan House (1974–75)
- Cox House, Wellington (1975)
- ManilaManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Philippines housing project competition (1975–76) - Porteous House (1979)
- Buck House, Te Mata Estate (1980)
- First Church of Christ Science (1982–83)
- Moore Wilson façade (1984) http://www.roughguides.com/website/travel/destination/content/default.aspx?titleid=83&xid=idh389604792_0517
- Logical CSI House (1986–87)
- 226 Oriental Parade (1988) http://www.dayout.co.nz/attraction-subject-results.asp?subject=athfield
- TelecomTelecom New ZealandTelecom New Zealand is a New Zealand-wide communications service provider , providing fixed line telephone services, a mobile network, an internet service provider , a major ICT provider to NZ businesses , and a wholesale network infrastructure provider to other NZ CSPs...
on Manners Street (1988) - Wellington City Library (1991)
- Civic Square, Wellington (1992)
- Extensions to Student Union building, Victoria University of WellingtonVictoria University of WellingtonVictoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
(1992) - Palmerston North City Library extensions (1997)
- Sam NeillSam NeillNigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill, DCNZM, OBE is a New Zealand actor. He is well known for his starring role as paleontologist Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III....
House (1998) - Rooftop additions to Te Puni KōkiriTe Puni KokiriTe Puni Kōkiri is a New Zealand Public Sector Department responsible for Māori public policy and policy affecting Māori.The department, called TPK for short, reports to the Minister of Māori Affairs...
House (1998–99) - Adam Art Gallery, Victoria University of WellingtonVictoria University of WellingtonVictoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
(1999) - Alan DuffAlan DuffAlan Duff is a New Zealand novelist and newspaper columnist, most well known as the author of Once Were Warriors.- Biography :...
House (2000) - St Pauls Apartments (2000)
- Lancaster Park extensions (with Architectus, 2002) http://www.architectus.com.au/index.php?page=47
- Odlins Building/NZX refurbishment (2005)
- TheNewDowse Museum (2006)
- Chews Lane Precinct (2009)
- Taranaki Street Wharf (begun 2006)
- Wellington Wharewaka (2011)
- Selwyn District Council offices (2007)
- Wellington Marine Education Centre (proposed, denied by the Environment Court in 2007 on appeal; new location proposed)
- 1-8 Clyde Quay Wharf (approved; construction scheduled to start in 2011) - formerly the Overseas Passenger Terminal
- Kate Sheppard Exchange (proposed)
- 109 Featherston Street, Wellington (proposed)
External links
- Athfield Architects
- Wellington City Council - Innovation Capital profile
- Documentary of Ian Athfield on NZ On ScreenNZ On ScreenNZ On Screen is an online showcase of archival New Zealand television and film. The website is fully funded by NZ On Air and provides free worldwide access to NZ-produced television, film and music videos. Content is streamed and the webpages provide authoritative background information.The site...
. Made in 1977 after winning International competition to design housing in Manila