We’ve all likely popped into Mercury Plaza for a bite of sushi, a deliciously-made Thai stir fry, to try our hand at one of the funny arcade games, or to pick up some Pocari Sweat from the New Gum Sarn Supermarket on a dusty Sunday morning.
It’s an undeniable Auckland icon. Its recognisable blue signage, with an orange, arching ‘M’ and neon stars a landmark of the K’Road area. But despite its long run (and the fact that it’s still widely loved), the space is closing its doors later this year.
In honour of its significance, artists Joni Lee and Jia Luo have decided to make the most of the time left, by staging a group exhibition that will transform the two main areas of the Plaza.
Considering Mercury Plaza’s historic ties with the Chinese community (the owners were some of the original Chinese fruit and vegetable shop owners on K’Road), the artists intend to curate a show that both highlights the significance of the space while giving a platform to the work of local New Zealand-Chinese artists. The line-up includes Ant Sang, Rose Liew, Tim Lambourne, Ruth Woodbury, Ruby White, Lindsay Yee and many more (with more to be announced).
Mercury Plaza: Origins + New Beginnings opens this Wednesday, 14th August and will run for one month (until 14th September) before Mercury Plaza closes on 31st October. It will offer the perfect way to say goodbye to a space that has been a significant part of the fabric of Auckland and is set to be a celebratory and creatively-inspiring affair. Its final night will see the exhibition come to a close with a rousing party.
For more information about Mercury Plaza: Origins + New Beginnings, click here.
When a house with a rich history and exquisite heritage detailing is treated to a modern reimagining, it is crucial that its inherent character is honoured. That’s why projects like the Centennial Park House should only be undertaken by the experts, lest the magic of the past be forfeited to gratuitous modern development. Madeleine Blanchfield Architects, recognising the architectural significance of this Queen Anne-style home, drew upon its Victorian heritage to create spaces that united the past with the present.
Carefully rendered curves were placed in direct contrast to sharp edges, crisp linearity and sombre steel detailing, made all the more impactful when seen against the home’s underlying palette of pure white. Beyond adding contemporary edge, the clean colours were also employed to reflect the natural light that would stream through the historic, decorative windows at the front of the home, the large glass doors at the back and the new skylight installed above the relocated stairwell (seeing it become an intriguing central focal point for the property).
The material choices were hugely important for the team at Madeleine Blanchfield, if they were to guarantee a sense of flow and connectedness through the house. In the master bedroom, for instance, a black, freestanding frame is positioned in the centre of the room, anchoring the rest of the space and lending it the overall effect of a versatile, blank canvas. Recurring design motifs like dark timber, refined natural finishes and monochromatic contrasts, work to keep the various spaces relating to one another, as well as ensuring that the underlying, historic beauty of the residence can shine through. In the furnishings, the idea of contrast is seen again, where linear sofas and armchairs meet circular light fixtures, internal archways, and the beautifully rounded chairs and table in the dining room.
Left: Alcova bed by Antonio Citterio for Maxalto from Matisse
From grand origins, to falling into disrepair, to now, restored to a version of its former glory, the Centennial Park house is an exquisite example of how, when the history of a home is brought respectfully into the present, the depth and meaning that comes with that imbues its spaces with heart, which is something that architecture alone cannot do.
If you’ve always wanted a gallery wall at home, but haven’t been ready to dust off the measuring tape or spend hours fretting over configurations (only to realise at the end that you were off by a centimetre) hope is on the horizon. Framefox, the innovative, custom framing company that facilitates photo framing via its easy, online service, has conquered the ever-elusive gallery wall with a simple, logical solution.
Customers can simply visit their website and select the perfect configuration for their wall (there are options to suit any space) before uploading the images they want to hang and selecting their frames. Framefox will, once the customer is happy with the digital rendering, send out the custom-framed photos with a kit that includes a life-size hanging guide made from paper that makes at-home installation a breeze.
Walking into Auckland’s Clooney restaurant has always felt special. Regardless of how many times we’ve dined there, it never seems to lose its intangible charm. Blame it on the moody dining room, with private booths and a unique luxury that imbues the dining experience with quiet sophistication. Or chalk it up to the meticulously-prepared food, a consistently mind-blowing affair that was waving the flag for locally-sourced, New Zealand ingredients long before it was a trend. Clooney’s food told the story of this country in a way that hadn’t been done before — and over the years, it earned the restaurant a number of lofty accolades.
But after a 13-year run that has cemented Clooney as a bona fide institution in Auckland’s fine-dining scene, owner Tony Stewart (who has dedicated almost 30 years to the hospitality industry), has announced that in October, Clooney’s doors will close, for good.
For Stewart, being at the helm of Clooney and maintaining its consistent quality has required the hospitality veteran to remain intimately involved in the restaurant’s daily operations. It’s ensured Clooney’s success but the long hours have also taken their toll. Stewart was born with cystic fibrosis and is one of 203 adults over 25 living with the condition in New Zealand, and of that number there are 47 adults aged 45+. Because of the circumstances around his ongoing health issues, Stewart decided to bring Clooney’s days to an end.
“I chose to build a restaurant that is heavily reliant on a hands-on style of leadership, one that leads by example,” Stewart explains, “a style that has bought so much satisfaction to me over the years, but now, one that is very difficult to maintain.”
And while we understand how the gruelling demands of hospitality are not easy to keep up with long term — for anyone — it doesn’t make this announcement any less sad.
Set to close on Sunday 13th October (marking 13 years to the day since it opened), Clooney’s last 10 weeks will see the restaurant deliver its signature, exceptional dining experience to all, so if you’ve been meaning to book, now is the time.
And although it signals the swan song of Stewart’s seminal hospitality venture, the restaurateur maintains that he intends to stay connected to the industry in some capacity.
All vouchers will be honoured for bookings up to this date and bookings can be made by contacting the restaurant here. Or by booking here.
Dust off your diamonds and sharpen up your suits, SOUL PUNCH is making its hotly-anticipated seasonal return and this time, it’s all about Great Gatsby glamour.
The epic Sunday session and long lunch held at Viaduct Harbour’s Soul Bar & Bistro only happens once a season and has become an unmissable event, drawing people from all over the city to don theme-appropriate ensembles and celebrate with fervour.
Set to take place on Sunday, 25th August from 12pm until 6pm, the next SOUL PUNCH is themed around the Great Gatsby, encouraging attendees to evoke the roaring 20s. Whether you go as a flapper, a gangster or simply in something that embodies the glamour of the era, you’ll be sure that everyone will embrace the spirit of the event with glittering flutes of champagne and elegant highballs.
With DJs Rob Warner and Grant Marshall manning the decks alongside SOUL PUNCH’s music director Peter Urlich, the dancefloor is sure to heat up as soon as the delicious, four-course lunch has been cleared. Promising good food, great tunes and even better company, this is one Sunday sesh you don’t want to miss.
So gather your nearest and dearest and immerse yourself in the high-octane allure and enigmatic charm of Gatsby at this season’s SOUL PUNCH. After all, a little party never killed nobody…
SOUL PUNCH is $85 per person and guests will be treated to a glass of Mumm Grand Cordon champagne on arrival as well as a four-course sharing-style lunch. Spaces sell out fast so we recommend getting in early. To book a table, call Soul Bar & Bistro or contact them here.
Soul Bar & Bistro
Viaduct Harbour
16-18/Lower Hobson Street and Customs St W
Auckland
Words Margie Riddiford | PHOTOS Tom Ferguson | 5 Aug 2019
Situated on a tree-lined street in the Sydney suburb of Darling Point, sits an old, Victorian-era home. Flanked by much grander, bolder buildings, the property would be forgiven for falling prey to overshadowing, but this inspiring project does the exact opposite.
It was a brief from a family of five that saw a call for a reconfiguration of this residence, and now — with the help of Alexander & Co. architects — the historic building punches well above its weight. And while the original, two-story structure’s brick walls remain, what lies within has been subjected to a divine reimagining.
A freshly-devised, contemporary floorplan saw radical changes made to the 230-square-metre house, and now, the home boasts a relocated staircase and entry vestibule, alongside four bedrooms and a glorious new garden terrace.
Designed with family in mind, it was imperative that this Darling Point residence catered to the individual needs of its residents. As such, a ten-seater table in the dining room caters to the parents’ passion for entertaining, while a private terrace ensures that escapism for the adults is always accessible and the four, individual bedrooms — each with desks, wardrobes and play areas — allow each child to have their own personal space. The interiors themselves are contemporary with a simplistic undercurrent, highlighted especially by the robust, hand-detailed and finished surfaces.
Defying all odds, Alexander & Co. architects successfully turned this residence from aged and compact into something modern and grand, all while respecting the building’s historic appeal. Now, at once warmingly-familiar and intriguingly new, this home holds a particular type of charm that soars way beyond that of its contemporaries, with any risk of it fading into the background not just unlikely, but diminished altogether.
In 2018, Apparatus opened the doors to its Los Angeles showroom, a space where textural, raw materials and creamy soft furnishings provide a compelling backdrop to Apparatus’ brassy, monochromatic lighting. As the third outpost for the burgeoning brand, the opening marked its snowballing popularity. Founded in New York in 2012 by Gabriel Hendifar (creative director) with his partner (in life and in business) Jeremy Anderson, Apparatus examines historical and cultural design motifs through the lens of a contemporary context, producing products that are more like pieces of art in that they’re considered holistically — blurring the line between form and function to the point of it becoming almost indistinguishable.
Cloud 37 pendant and Horsehair sconce by Apparatus in the Albany Road Residence by Hecker Guthrie in Melbourne
The duo is renowned for approaching their work with creative gusto, each year redesigning their Chelsea showroom to represent a new ‘Act,’ and marking the change with a hotly-anticipated disco held during New York Design Week. For Hendifar and Anderson, it’s all part of an overarching philosophy that sees the designs for Apparatus evolve according to the duo’s own, internal barometers — rather than the prevailing trends (which is what makes the pieces so universally compelling).
Sensuality and narrative lie at the heart of Apparatus’ designs, where tactile materials like marble, horsehair, suede, brass, porcelain and lacquer are handmade into the brand’s sculptural, contemporary lighting and furniture and assembled on site in New York. That everything is developed, made and displayed in the same, historic building gives Apparatus an autonomy that contributes hugely to its distinctive identity.
Now available locally at ECC, Apparatus’ carefully considered materials and meticulous construction will cast your interiors in a whole new light.
If you don’t know about the work that Dance For Abilities does, it’s a charity that seeks to create inclusive, fun spaces in which people with disabilities can cut loose a little, have a dance and express themselves. Started by brothers Jonathan and Daniel Hopkirk who saw little opportunity for their sister with Down syndrome to go out in the same way they did, Dance For Abilities has facilitated a number of highly-popular social events both here and in Australia.
Now, DFA is looking beyond its typical format to host a fashion show at the upcoming New Zealand Fashion Week. Living Colour will be the first fashion show in New Zealand, in fact, to be entirely comprised of models with intellectual disabilities. “We are really excited to get the opportunity to open another door for people with intellectual disabilities,” Daniel Hopkirk says. “Our teams’ goal is to continually evolve [Dance For Abilities] and create equal opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to have a night out in these fantastic locations and events around Auckland.”
Set to see the models dressed in designs from some of New Zealand’s most renowned names in fashion, including Zambesi, the Living Colour fashion show will be a lively affair, with judges Dame Pieter Stewart and Zambesi’s Liz Findlay on hand to distribute prizes for the best dancers, the best dressed guests and the best moves on the catwalk.
Whether it’s fashion or the Dance For Abilities cause that is close to your heart, this event is gearing up to be something everyone can enjoy, and will be the perfect note to end fashion week on.
Given that Dance For Abilities is a charity, the team needs to raise $10,000 to be able to put the show on and cover the 350 guests they are expecting on the day. One donation of $35 will cover food, drinks and entertainment for one guest, and can be made here. For more information about this event and how to support it, click here.
In line with its ethos of ultimate luxury, Rolls-Royce has built quite a reputation for its willingness to accommodate customers’ customisation requests — no matter how outrageous they may seem.
Perhaps it’s reflective of the artistry that goes into the cars themselves that those drawn to the Rolls-Royce feel so compelled to put their own stamp on the hallowed marque. With its team of creative experts, Rolls-Royce will work alongside its customers to ensure any and all requests are met in a unique, thoughtful way. Of course, details like colours, finishes, monograms of initials and material options can be tailored to taste. But it’s when Rolls-Royce goes the extra mile that the real magic happens.
The marque has been known to match leather to lipstick colours and has used wood sourced from the trees on customers’ estates. It has created paint containing actual diamond dust, implemented various light configurations on the interior ceilings of its cars to represent starry night skies and rendered its iconic Spirit of Ecstasy in materials like rose gold, silver and carbon fibre.
The Rolls-Royce Wraith Luminary collection comprises only 55 cars, and the “stars” inside are made up of 1,340 fibre-optic lights.
The iconic Spirit of Ecstasy on the bespoke ‘Silicon Vallery Meets Black Badge’ Rolls-Royce of Benjamin Treynor Sloss, Vice President of Engineering at Google
There was apparently once even a customer whose particular penchant for tea saw him ask for a thermos holder to be installed in his Rolls-Royce. To accommodate his request, the marque had to build a special door and crash test a brand new car to ensure the thermos wouldn’t dislodge in an accident (the customer happily paid for both cars). Another past customer wanted his Rolls-Royce to evoke the same kind of luxury as a yacht, which resulted in the creation of the Sweptail — an entirely unique silhouette for Rolls-Royce that saw the back part of the car streamlined and elongated (and reportedly cost close to US$13 million).
The Rolls-Royce Sweptail
Built-in jewellery boxes, luxurious picnic kits and various bar setups are also commonplace features in the bespoke Rolls-Royce. Renowned UK Grime artist, Skepta, even had his Phantom transformed into a mobile recording studio so he could create on the go
UK Grime artist, Skepta, worked with Rolls-Royce to transform his Phantom into a mobile recording studio
At this year’s Geneva Motor Show, Rolls-Royce revealed a line up of its new bespoke models. The new Phantom Tranquility, for instance, was designed to evoke the idea of space exploration, and featured actual meteorite in its volume controller — the Muonionalusta meteorite, to be exact, which fell to earth in Kiruna, Sweden in 1906. Only 25 were made.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Tranquility
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Tranquility
This sat alongside others like the new Black Badge Ghost, which was rendered in Gunmetal with an iced satin finish and lime green details, and the new Black Badge Wraith in Galileo Blue, a bold expression of Rolls-Royce’s creative craftsmanship.
The Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost
The Black Badge cars have, according to Rolls-Royce, seen a new breed of customer come to the fore. A younger cohort of successful entrepreneurs for whom Rolls-Royce’s ability to create cars specifically tailored to the individual is incredibly appealing — especially in an age where true individuality is a rare and sought-after commodity. The new Rolls-Royce customer is someone who perhaps prefers to drive their own car (rather than hire drivers like other Rolls-Royce owners often do), and as such, wants it to represent them in a more personal, authentic way.
But no matter how the Rolls-Royce customer evolves, you can rest assured that this marque, despite its historic nature, is agile and creative enough to keep up. The only question remaining is… if you had your own Rolls-Royce, what would you do?
The issue of buying clothes for growing children is something parents have long been trying to navigate. How, for example, can they be expected to fork out for sweaters, dresses, pants and shirts that, after a few wears (and inevitable tears) will no longer fit their perpetually elongating child? Or why should they have to branch out for special occasions when there’s even less chance that the outfit in question will see the light of day more than once?
Enter Little Outfitters, the new online marketplace that has been designed with exactly these questions in mind. Seeking to not only alleviate the pressure on parents of kids between 0 to 10 to keep their tots’ wardrobes appropriately stocked but also to address our wasteful fashion consumption habits, founder Lucy Kirkwood has built Little Outfitters on the idea of buying and re-selling high-quality, children’s designer clothing in a more sustainable process.
“We’re all aware of the environmental cost of fashion,” says Kirkwood, “especially with children’s clothing which is worn for a fraction of the time.” Little Outfitters will allow parents to both buy second-hand designer threads for their kids, and on-sell clothes that their littlies no longer fit. It facilitates a more closed-loop cycle, which, as Kirkwood explains, “gives a second, third or even fourth chance for an item that might otherwise end up in landfill.”
Having worked tirelessly with developers to create a website that puts ease and efficiency at the forefront (both essential for often time-poor parents), Kirkwood has created a practical, user-friendly service. Set to offer a range of brands from Kenzo to Nature Baby, Little Outfitters will fast become an essential resource and will revolutionise not only the way that parents buy clothes for their kids, but how we all think about mitigating our wasteful habits and engaging with fashion in a far more thoughtful way.
For more exclusive access to what the city has to offer, engaging content, excellent imagery and thought provoking commentary on the life that surrounds you, subscribe to Denizen magazine now.
