b'over the rainbowWhat are your favourite types of projects to work on and why?Is there a project that stands out as being a particularly rewardingthingssidewaysorchangingtheday-to-dayof a good thing and the bumps keep things real. Any project is a favourite project if there is the opportunityhighlight of your career so far, and what made it so special?pattern helps; things like looking through freshThere have been ups and downs, but I have really to do it well. It is very satisfying completing a well-detailed,The Gibbs House in Eastbourne put my practice on the map. Iteyes at a site, lying in the sun for a while, studyingenjoyed my travels through life as an architect bespoke new home that relates well to its setting, but just asis set at the bottom of a huge beech forest across the harbourthe colours of the landscape, the light throughand the people I have met along the way.satisfying is a building that is very economical and still presentsfrom Wellington and looks out through the trees to the water.the grass, the solidity of a cliff, researching local clear, unique and coherent architecture. Our recent FootstepsIt is a long house that sits delicately between the trees, andhistories in my own way, picking up a pencil orIf you could have dinner with one design iconPreschool in Palmerston North would be an example of this.the owners still live there. It is constructed from steel frames,paints,gettingloose,goingtoartgalleriesorpast or present, alive or notwho would it be In these times of housing shortages, where the gap betweentreated pine boards and Eucalyptus Saligna joinery. writingwordstringsorsmallpoemspriortoand what would you talk about? rich and poor is ever stretching and there is a need to createstarting a project helps me.I would love to talk to Louis Kahn about his ideas more sustainable, denser and well-planned cities, I think it isWhat would you suggest to someone who is feeling stuck in aand processes, as he managed to create some important to work hard and contribute to the multi-unit andrut or struggling with their creativity on a project? What is the best piece of advice youve receivedof the most incredibly architectonic buildings, mixed-use space. We have a couple of large multi-unit projectsWhen I was young and didnt have much work, I was hungrythats been helpful in your career? fromtheBangladeshParliamentBuildingsto in their early stages currently, which is exciting for us. Separateand did a lot of research for each project. The older and moreI recall reading a biography on Bob Dylan whereKimbellArtMuseumandhouses.Hiswork to this, we had a co-housing group set up through our practice,comfortable you get, with work coming in the door, the easier ithesaidhelikedtheuseofquestionsinart,always connected strongly with its place and the which came close to purchasing a site, but just missed out to ais to get stalled or become complacent churning out the samebecause they are much more interesting thanmaterials forming the architecture. There are developer a year agowhich was a shame. old stuffso staying excited is important. I find ways of movingstatements. Blowing in the Wind is one of his mostmany books available on Kahn that give a great famous songs that is musically simple but madepicture, but it would be amazing to talk with the up of entirely questionsmaking it intriguing,man. I was lucky once to offer Glen Murcutt emotionalandpoliticalallatthesametime.morning tea and had time for a chat with him Along similar lines, Welsh musician John Calewhile he was judging one of our projects for the said, the trouble with a classicist is that whenHome of the Year awards.he sees a tree, he paints a tree, which to me, inWhat do you love about Resene? relation to architecture, meant that it is muchResenehasafantasticrangeofcoloursand moreinterestingtocreatemoredeeplythantime tested and well-researched products. Their just mechanically following a clients brief, recentresponsiveness to architects is fantastic and they trendsandusingcoolproducts.Ichallengedare always there to help. On occasions where myself to explore ideas more deeply, trying towe are looking for very specific colours that we Resene think as an artist as well as an architect to seecant find on any charts, they are happy to mix Bianca what came up. Like anything in life, at times it hasup samples or match to a colour we have found. above: Looking out through the windows of this home designed byResene been easier and more successful than others. There is also a consciousness around sustainability Parsonson Architects, its easy to see the connection of the interior colourKumutoto and minimising harmful chemicals that we like. palette to the surrounding landscapecomplemented with a pop of boldSomethingwehearfrommanypeoplewe orange for an extra dash of energy and interest. Upper cabinets in ReseneResene interview is that they wish they had more time What are your current favourite Resene colours? Kumutoto, lower cabinets in Resene Trinidad and walls in Resene Bianca. Build byTrinidad often this means time left in their career, butOnahomethatiscurrentlybeingbuiltin Scottys Construction, www.scottysconstruction.co.nz. Painting by Flett Painters,sometimesitsjusttimetoworkonpassion www.flettpainters.co.nz. Image by Paul McCredie. projectsontheside.WhatwouldyoudoifRiversdale, we have used a combination of five opposite: Playful use of colour hugging the entranceway announces to young visitors that fun awaits at Footstepssomeone could wave a magic wand and grantcolours that I really like together, which were Preschool, designed by Parsonson Architects. Fibreboard cladding and battens in Resene Woodstock, Reseneyou more time? chosen to reflect surrounding vegetation and Oxley, Resene Rivergum, Resene Dolly, Resene Cheeky and Resene April Sun. Build by Humphries Construction,I would like more time to research and paintdune flowers: Resene White Pointer, Resene www.humphries.kiwi. Painting by Team DH, www.teamdh.co.nz. Image by Paul McCredie. picturesmore.Forme,itsreallyenjoyableStack, Resene Woodstock, Resene Spring Rain and helps me think creatively and I seem toand Resene Charm. Resene Resene Resene Resene ReseneWhite Pointer Charm April Sun Woodstock Stack be squeezing it into the gaps a lot of the time.To see more of Gerald and his teams impressive portfolio, Resene Resene Resene Resene Resene Having said this, I am very happy and contentvisit www.p-a.nz.Dolly Cheeky Spring Rain Oxley Rivergum with where things are, as you can have too much 28 blackwhitemag.com blackwhitemag.com 29'