Palmerston North Civic Administration Building

I was in Palmerston North last week, chained to a mac for 10 hours a day helping out on a project. I did manage to sneak out early one day though and grab a quick sketch in the square that I coloured that evening back in the motel.

It was really early, cold (for a soft jafa anyway) but quite pleasant. That tower with the glowing lights that make it look a bit like a giant Jim Speers artwork was working it's magic while it belted out chamber (?!) music to the ducks and their ducklings sheltering from the current duck shooting season.

This building stood out as interesting, if not a little surreal, and appears nestled in flax, cabbage trees and line of pou whenua from this angle. I've since discovered it's considered in some circles as one of New Zealand's ugliest buildings, but I'd disagree, it seems to suit the eclectic square nicely, even though it looks like it might lift off with a cargo of human specimens at any moment.