The Architectural Centre Inc is a nonprofit organization in Wellington, New Zealand, for architects and laypeople with an interest in architecture which offers lectures, site visits, tours and exhibitions.
The centre was established in 1946 in Wellington, New Zealand. It ran the first architectural school in Wellington (1946–1956), and the first town planning school in New Zealand (1949–1956). It also ran the Centre Gallery (1953–1968), an early venue for exhibiting modern art, and published Design Review (1948–1954) – one of the first design-oriented journals in New Zealand.
The centre has also held many exhibitions, including:
It has lobbied the Wellington City Council about issues to do with Wellington's built environment and run competitions, such as the annual 20under40 24 hour ideas competition, which began in 1990. More recently, the Architectural Centre published an architectural manifesto (2006), and has been a partner in the organisation of Wellington Architecture Week.
Past and present members of the Architectural Centre include:
Membership is about 150, and a regular newsletter is published.
Akaroa was a New Zealand electorate. It was located in Banks Peninsula, Canterbury, and named after the town of the same name. One of the original 24 electorates, it existed from 1853 to 1893.
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Shona Rapira Davies is a sculptor and painter of Ngātiwai ki Aotea tribal descent. Currently residing in Wellington New Zealand.
William Hildebrand Alington was a New Zealand modernist architect, whose work was awarded nationally, and recognised internationally. He was the husband of New Zealand historian Margaret Alington.
Stanley William Toomath was a New Zealand architect who practised mainly in Wellington. He was a founding member of the Architectural Group in Auckland in 1946, a life member of the Wellington Architectural Centre and a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Architects. Both the founding of the Group and the Architectural Centre were important factors in New Zealand's modernist architectural history.
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David George Porter was a New Zealand architect, company director and politician. He was a Wellington City Councillor and Deputy-Mayor from 1970 to 1971.
Julia Gatley is an architect, academic, architectural historian and author from New Zealand. As a historian and author Gatley has contributed knowledge about New Zealand's built landscape. She is the author of the book Athfield Architects about one of New Zealand's most well-known contemporary architects Ian Athfield and is a regular commentator about New Zealand's architectural history.
Sarah Treadwell is an artist, architect and academic in New Zealand. She was the first female full-time academic staff member in the School of Architecture and Planning at the Waipapa Taumata Rau the University of Auckland in New Zealand. Her academic career spanned from 1981 to 2017, her year of retirement. Treadwell was Head of School at the School of Architecture and Planning from 2009 to 2012.
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