Variations on a theme.

Pre-polish.

Gloss. Nearly.

Scaffolding intensifies in anticipation of the stainless skin.

I was worried this would happen.

As all the action heads indoors, there's a risk this blog could get a bit dull.
Though watch the scaffolding creep in from the left - the first of the
stainless panels are rumoured to be going up later this week.
Stay tuned, caller.

The local stone.

Leave town for a couple of days and the magic happens.

The Gruen Transfer.

All set to wrap the façade and enclose the interior...

Internal combustion.

Little to report this week, as the action heads inside.

Sense of place.

Progressive.

More details of progress here.

Cornering.

The highly anticipated curved wall moves around the corner and onto
Devon St, stopping traffic in the process. A sign of things to come, perhaps.

And again

 

Catching up again.

Things have moved on a bit since these...

Bean there.

Is it even possible to merrily spill beans?

And the beat goes on.

Panel Van.

Weather permitting, the first exterior panels are due to go up.
Of course it never rains or blows in Taranaki.

Blood from stone.

This week's update is brought to you by the letter S, for stone. From the
"local stone" to "pulling Picasso from a block of stone."
How did Picasso get encased in stone, I hear you ask.

Bunker down.

Less a case of seeing the wood for the trees than the interior spaces for
the structural reinforcing. I'd suggest it was following Christchurch's
lead in being a standby civil defence bunker, but there's already one
of those just up the road.

Take cover, Arizona.

As another council takes aim at one of its amenities, I consider envying
the council's wastewater treatment plants: they don't have to take this crap.

Potato/Tomato.

I say construction, you say "demolished for all intents and purposes."

Cost of entry.

I've written before about cost of entry when it comes to art galleries -
perceived or otherwise. Will be interesting to see if the KPIs
for the gallery remain linked to entry numbers. If so then the phrase 'own
goal' springs to mind. It's okay though, for we will always have kittens.

Old chestnut department.

As old chestnuts are revisited construction rapidly moves to the outer
edges of the final footprint. 

Solid steel.

The moment where structural steel channels Alan Maddox.

Glad we cleared that up.

Vote here.

Ever forward.

As heartfelt congratulations are extended to the Gallery's Director, the
structure extends towards the street to create what will become
Trilogy's new home. That much steel somewhat challenges the
white cube argument.

Waiting for nobody.

A couple of weeks out of town (though sadly not on the global trade mission)
and the framework charges ahead. Still a way to go before it nears the
full footprint of the building. In what we'll call positive news,
it's already stopping traffic.

Neighbourhood watch.

As the rock solid (one would hope both earthquake and sound-proof)
cinema starts to emerge from the depths, a sodding great electrical
transformer box is installed in the foreground, deftly dashing any hopes
and dreams of urban planning and a considered revitalisation of
the neighbourhood - New Plymouth's West End, as it were.

 

Catching up 2.

Catching up 1.

To the future, and beyond.

The New Director is welcomed back to both gallery and city, the standard
KPI of numbers through the door grabs the headline once more, the sun has
come out, building continues, and future is indeed looking positive.
 

All that glitters.

Sparkle isn't necessarily a theme you'd associate with a gallery
in waiting, but between sparklers and glitter it's there, and clearly
they're on to a winner. Keeping on-message I'm waiting for the big
crane to go all sparkly, though that might send the wrong message.

Separated at birth?

I wonder if anyone else has drawn a parallel between the image of the
finished façade and Auckland's waterfront Tank Farm (pre-Askew One)?

Waiting is the hardest part.

Let's just hope storage is big enough.

And the beat goes on.

New year, new restraint shown in not adding 'ic' to the name of the crane.