Turuturu Mokai

“Turuturu Mokai” is one of the oldest fortifications built by Maori in New Zealand and was fought over during the Taranaki Land Wars of the 1860s. Situated just outside the South Taranaki town of Hawera, it was once a former public reserve and popular playground. However, in recent years the Ngati Tupaia controlled reserve has […]

Don’t Be Light

The Sun Is In Our Eyes

Tripoli, Lebanon, Nov 2005: Tripoli is the largest city in northern Lebanon and the second-largest city in the country. Situated 85 kilometres (53 miles) north of the capital Beirut, old Tripoli dates back to at least the 14th century BCE. It is home to the largest fortress in Lebanon- the Citadel of Raymond de Saint-Gilles- […]

Carpe Diem

December 2013: This former high school closed in 2007, and despite more than $85,000 spent on security since, fed-up residents have arranged patrols after systematic vandalism and theft. A poster in one of the classrooms ironically proclaims “seize the day”- yeah right… The New Zealand Government is currently trying to offload 52 closed schools. Doing […]

Artillery

Wellington, NZ, Oct 2013: This coastal artillery battery (one of many) was built to defend New Zealand’s capital Wellington against a Naval attack. Work began in 1908 on constructing a 2 gun battery using 6″MkVII guns. By 1912 these 6″ guns were manned by the Wellington Naval Artillery Volunteers. At its prime at the beginning […]

Tunnelvision

Wellington, NZ, Nov 2013: A short film exploring the same abandoned railway tunnel featured in Portal. The final cut is inspired by horror/film noir- with soundtrack by legendary English experimental rock pioneers, Swell Maps.

Cooler

Taranaki, NZ, January 2013, Sony AS15. Exploring the labyrinthian maze of a former cool store complex…

ill Institute

Wellington, NZ, May 2013. This purpose-built institute and accommodation halls- of which I briefly graced in the 90’s- is now largely vacant and abandoned. It was constructed in the early 1970s in typical Brutalist style- not exactly an architecture form for inspiring students. I for one certainly found its imposing totalitarian and fortress-like qualities unconducive […]

Trig or Track

“Don’t play on the tracks- head for the high ground”. Why not do both..?