A House Party with talks & debates
Museum of Wellington City & Sea
Queens Wharf
Monday 1 September – Friday 5 September at 12.30pm
Free entry
Museum of Wellington City & Sea will play host to a series of talks concerning the different aspects of housing in New Zealand as part of their Lunchtime Sessions. House Party will launch at the Museum on Monday 1 September and will continue every lunchtime until Friday 5 September at 12.30pm.
The programme:
Monday 1 September at 12.30pm
Housing for older people: what are the options?
Chair: Christine McCarthy
Panelists: Judith Davey (Institute for Governance and Policy Studies, VUW); Vicki McLaren, (Wellington City Council); Peter
Matcham (Grey Power); Derek Wilson, retired architect
Like many western nations, New Zealand has an ageing demographic – that is to say an increasing percentage of our
population will be over 65 years. Statistics NZ has predicted that the 65+ age group will make up over 25% of NZ’s
population from the late 2030s. In 2005 this age group constituted 12% of New Zealand’s population. Population ageing
highlights an issue which, while affecting more of us in the future, is also of significance today: how to provide
appropriate housing for older people.
Tuesday 2 September at 12.30pm
Designing the wind out of housing
Chair: Matthew Lander
Presenters: Mike Donn (School of Architecture, VUW) + Luke Price (Beca)
Wind is the environmental aspect which is most often associated with Wellington. It is something we live with, but also
something that our built environment can help ameliorate or can exacerbate. This lunchtime talk will look at the
relationship between Wellington’s wind and our architecture, with a specific emphasis on research looking at how design
can lessen the negative impacts of wind on domestic outdoor spaces.
Wednesday 3 September at 12.30pm
Housing Students in our City
Chair: Nick Denton (student, School of Architecture, VUW)
Panelists: Maria Goncalves-Rorke (Manager, Financial Support and Advice, Student Services); Daniel Haines, President, NZ
University Students’ Association; Amy Heise (Business Manager, 222 Willis); Rick Zwaan (Welfare Vice President, VUWSA)
With Massey University, Victoria University and WelTec all having inner-city campuses, students from Wellington’s
teritary institutions are a vital part of our city. Student housing takes various forms, including residential halls,
homestays, and flatting, and, especially with student flats, it can sometimes be hugely varying in quality. This panel
discussion will involve people employed by tertiary institutions who manage student accommodation, as well as students
themselves to discuss issues, challenges and successes in student housing.
Thursday 4 September at 12.30pm
The Future of NZ Housing
Chair: Kate Linzey
Panelists: Pam Bell (Prefab NZ); Philip Morrison (School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, VUW); Jason Strawbridge
(Barrier Free)
Housing is a topic which has been in the headlines frequently in recent years, often in terms of affordability and
supply. It seems from these accounts that provision of housing will be a challenge for years to come. This panel
discussion will include experts from the building industry, and in universal design, economics, and urban geography to
consider what really are the issues which will affect and determine the future of housing in New Zealand.
Friday 5 September at 12.30pm
Getting Council Housing Right
Chair: Jules Molony (HoS, School of Architecture, VUW)
Panelists: Andrews Banks (Studio of Pacific Architecture); Vicki McLaren, (Wellington City Council); Gary Nichols (Urban Plus
Ltd); Simon Novak (Novak+Middleton)
Wellington City Council has been involved in the provision of housing since the 1920s. In 2008 the council began a joint
20-year project with central government to upgrade its social housing. In 2007 Hutt City Council transferred its housing
portfolio to Urban Plus, a council controlled trading organisation, using a structure different to WCC to manage its
social housing stock. This panel discussion will include people involved in providing social housing from both councils,
and some of the architects working on the WCC housing upgrades.
Entry to the talks is free, and all are welcome to come along to hear about housing with a specific focus on Wellington.
ENDS