Renowned architect Michael O'Sullivan will deliver a lecture in Whanganui next month. Photo /Supplied
Renowned architect Michael O'Sullivan will deliver a lecture in Whanganui next month. Photo /Supplied
Whanganui people will have the chance to hear from a creative master next month.
Architect Michael O'Sullivan will be in the River City to deliver a lecture, one he says is not just for those who share his field.
"I'll be talking about all kinds of stuff, from boxing ringsin South Auckland and Mongolian wrestling to projects in Austin, Texas, and worship spaces in Ireland.
"If people think it's going to just be about architecture they would probably say 'I would rather eat my own underpants'.
"The talk is about what the journey is, not just plans, sections, permits and dealing with builders. No one wants to hear about that."
O'Sullivan has twice won the Sir Ian Athfield Architecture Award for Housing, first for a studio (2015) and then for additions to a state house (2020). Both projects were in Lyttelton.
In 2011 he won Home of the Year for a bach at Karekare Beach.
His talk will also be delivered in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington as part of the Futuna Lecture Series, with funds raised from those events going towards the ongoing care, maintenance and operation of Futuna Chapel in Wellington.
The person responsible for bringing him to Whanganui is Elinor Harvey McDouall, secretary for the western branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA).
"You don't get what you don't ask for, and this one time it all worked out," she said.
"Our efforts have meant that this leader in design is able to come and share his stories with Whanganui's creatives and supporters of good design."
The Lyttelton studio Michael O'Sullivan designed and built won the Sir Ian Athfield Architecture Award for Housing in 2015. Photo / Martin Hunter
O'Sullivan left school aged 16 to begin a drafting certificate.
He founded Bull O'Sullivan (B/OS) Architecture in 1994 and holds a position at the University of Auckland supervising masters students' thesis work.
"A sheep's carcass came floating past upside down and I just thought to myself 'I love this town'."
He had been "consumed" by Whanganui's design while he was in town.
"There's the [Sarjeant] gallery of course, and the very ordered, English axial approach to the roads and lanes.
"A couple of young architects in Wellington, Patchwork Architects [Ben Mitchell-Anyon and Sally Ogle], have done a really cool piece there which I'm keen to check out as well.
"Some bloody good thinkers have come out of Whanganui that have contributed to the New Zealand architectural landscape over 150 years."
Harvey McDouall said it was great to have these kinds of events in Whanganui because they complemented its status as a Unesco City of Design.
"They [Unesco] have also contributed some sponsorship to allow this to happen.
"This is one of those times that things just popped into place. It was serendipity.
"Michael has donated his time for us and is delivering it for free, which is very kind of him."
Michael O'Sullivan's lecture takes place at the Davis Lecture Theatre on Friday October 7.
