TOWN HALL DESIGNER

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30471, 19 June 1964, Page 12

TOWN HALL DESIGNER

Architects May Choose

An architectural competition to choose the designer of Christchurch’s town hall has been in the mind of the City Council and its town hall committee, which includes representatives of outside local bodies, for the last few months.

Now, an alternative that a Christchurch architect be selected is being examined. Cr. H. G. Hay, chairman of the committee, said yesterday that a competition, tentative conditions for which had been fixed, had been discussed with the New Zealand Institute of Architects and the Canterbury branch. There appeared to be some difficulties over the holding of a competition. It could be costly, there was a likelihood of delay and the committee had been told that a number of leading architects might not be able to compete. A possible alternative is that the New Zealand Institute of Architects will be asked to nominate a panel of members from outside Christchurch, and preferably the panel responsible for selecting gold medal recipients, to select a Christchurch man to design the town hall and associated buildings in the first stage of the project. The architect would probably be sent overseas to study town halls and similar buildings.

The committee has already had a preliminary look at the proposal, but not all councils were represented at the meeting.

At the next meeting on June 30 a representative of the council of the New Zealand Institute of Architects will attend to discuss a competition and the alternative of selecting a man.

Some councillors are strongly in favour of appointing an architect forthwith so he can get on with the task. Others are equally strongly in favour of a competition. From the next committee meeting there should come a final recommendation on the system of choosing the designer.