2024 Auckland Architecture Awards Winner
Musick Point Memorial Radio Station (1942)
This iconic Publics Works building was supervised by government architect John T Mair, but specifically credited to John Blake-Kelly, who later became a government architect. Named after aviation pioneer Captain Edwin G Musick, the building has served as an aviation and maritime radio communications hub, notably as a key facility during WWII. The building has also been enjoyed by the public for more than 80 years. The aviation connection is reflected in plan and siting; the building was not only to be experienced from the ground but also from the sky. The design encompasses the formal landscaping to create the impression of a flying boat and its jetstream or landing wake. With its central tower, curved two-storey projection and single-storey podium, its stripped-back form is an early and well-preserved example of the Modernist or Functionalist style in Auckland.
