Gordon Moller
Officer of the NZ Order of Merit
KEY POINTS:
A year after joining the outcry against the Government-backed proposal for an Auckland waterfront stadium, Gordon Moller has been made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to architecture.
"Let's stop these crazy ideas of wrecking the waterfront," Mr Moller said at the time of the stoush, preferring a "legacy" design for a 2011 Rugby World Cup stadium at Eden Park.
His view carried much weight. The designer of the Sky Tower and a leading player in redevelopment of Viaduct Harbour, Mr Moller was a member of the Auckland Urban Design Panel, which assesses the suitability of major building plans.
Originally from Wellington, in 2006 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of literature by Victoria University, where he designed the School of Architecture building and was a member of the design consortium for the Wellington Civic Centre.
The Auckland buildings he regards as standouts in his 40-year career are the SkyCity casino and entertainment complex and the SkyCity Grand Hotel and Convention Centre. His controversial 328m high Sky Tower, now 10 years old, draws 700,000 visitors to its observation decks annually.
A new Moller design, the Elliott Tower, which is proposed for an Albert St- Victoria St West corner, is almost as tall and has sparked appeals to the Environment Court.
Mr Moller's residential designs have also been acclaimed and he helped in the "healthy homes" project to redesign state rental homes.
He has received about 50 awards from the Institute of Architects and other industry groups, including the institute's 2006 gold medal, the top individual prize.
