NZ visual diary - entry 70

ASB North Wharf - building study

One of four major Australian-owned banks operating in New Zealand, ASB lays claim to one of the most innovative and visually exciting commercial buildings in Auckland's CBD. Located in Wynyard Quarter, ASB North Wharf is the bank's central office building. It is a stunning architectural achievement.

The building was the recipient of the 2014 New Zealand Architecture Medal, the country's highest architectural award.

My photograph, taken while on a nocturnal photography walk, attempts to reveal the visual complexity of the building.

In the left frame of the image is an example of a modernist architectural element - the transparent exposure of a building's support skeleton. I find the chaotic movement of the interior girders both appealing and unsettling.

The right portion of the image offers a triptych of upper-floor office space; a recessed patio area accented with orange and yellow tones; and a lower panel that reveals the intricate latticework of metal shards that forms the building's front-facing facade.