Bowen House (left), the Beehive (centre) and Parliament (right). A very similar view of the latter two buildings features on New Zealand's
$20 banknote.
Alternative names
Executive Wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings
Construction began in 1969 and was completed in 1981. Since 1979, the building has housed the offices of
government ministers. Thus, the name "Beehive" is closely linked with the
New Zealand Government.[4] It is often used as a
metonym for the New Zealand leadership at large, with "the 9th floor" specifically referring to the office of the
prime minister, which is based on that floor.[5]Cabinet meets on the top floor.
History
In the 1960s the government proposed an extension of
Parliament House, which had only been partly built in 1922. Prime Minister
Keith Holyoake had wanted to complete the original plan, but the government architect persuaded him to approve a modern building which would house parliamentary offices.[6] In 1964,
English architect
Basil Spence provided the original conceptual design of a round building rising in steps. The detailed architectural design was undertaken by the New Zealand government architect
Fergus Sheppard, and structural design of the building was undertaken by the
Ministry of Works.[7] W. M. Angus constructed the first stage, beginning in 1969 — the podium, underground car park and basement for a national civil defence centre. Gibson O'Connor constructed the ten floors of the remainder of the building.[8]
Bellamy's catering facilities moved into the building in the summer of 1975–1976 and
Elizabeth II,
Queen of New Zealand, unveiled a plaque in the reception hall in February 1977. The Prime Minister,
Robert Muldoon, formally opened the building in May 1977. The government moved into the upper floors in 1979. The annexe facing Museum Street was completed in 1981.[8]
In the late 1990s, there was consideration of moving the Beehive behind Parliament House and finishing Parliament House according to the 1911 original plans. The plan was scuttled due to public outcry at the cost.[9] Renovations were carried out and the interior was modernised between 1998 and 2006 to plans by
Christchurch architecture firm
Warren and Mahoney. In 2013 and 2014, the roof was repaired and windows replaced.[7]
In July 2015,
Heritage New Zealand declared the Beehive "of outstanding heritage significance for its central role in the governance of New Zealand". Blyss Wagstaff of Heritage New Zealand called it "one of the most recognisable buildings in the country". Heritage New Zealand assigned the highest rating for a historic place, Category I, to the building.[7] The original application for the heritage designation was made by
Lockwood Smith, a former
Speaker of the House of Representatives. The heritage registration with the list number 9629 became effective on 24 July 2015. The tunnel to
Bowen House is specifically excluded from the heritage registration.[7][10]
Facts and figures
The building is ten storeys (72 metres (236 ft)) high and has four floors below ground.[11] The entrance foyer's core is decorated with marble floors, stainless steel mesh wall panels, the columns clad in
Takaka marble and a translucent glass ceiling.[8]
The Beehive's brown roof is made from 20 tonnes (44,000 lb) of hand-welted and seamed
copper. It has developed a naturally weathered appearance. A tunnel runs under Bowen Street from The Beehive to parliamentary offices in Bowen House.[7]
The Beehive's circular
footprint (see
rotunda) is generally considered an elegant and distinctive design feature. However it is also quite impractical, as many of its rooms are
wedge-shaped, curved or asymmetrical.[12] An extension has been built at the front to allow for a new security entrance. A new, bomb-proof mail delivery room has already been built at the rear of the building.[11]
The Beehive is extensively decorated with
New Zealand art and was designed to showcase the country's creative artists.[15] On the inner wall of the Banquet Hall is a mural by
John Drawbridge 42 metres (138 ft) long and 4.8 metres (16 ft) high portraying the atmosphere and sky of New Zealand.[16] The foyer contains a textile wall hanging Forest in the Sun by Joan Calvert and
Guy Ngan which was commissioned for the building.[15][17] It was hung in 1977 when the Queen opened the building, removed in 2003 during refurbishments and re-hung in 2023.[15]
Offices and facilities
The top floor is occupied by the
Cabinet room, with the
prime minister's offices directly beneath on the ninth floor (and part of the eighth).[7] The upper portion of the Beehive also contains the offices of other ministers; senior ministers are situated at proximity to the prime minister's office according to their ranking in Cabinet. The seniority of a minister is reflected in how far up the building they are.[7][18] Some ministers, especially junior ministers, are instead based in
Bowen House.[18]
Other facilities within the building include function rooms and a banqueting hall on the first floor of the Beehive, which is the largest function room in the parliamentary complex. The parliamentary catering facilities of Bellamy’s include a bar known as Pickwicks or 3.2 (due to its position in the building on the third floor and second corridor), Copperfield's café, and the Member's and Member's and Guests restaurants. The building also houses, in its basement, the country's
National Crisis Management Centre.[10] The Beehive contains a theatrette, commonly used for government press conferences. Other facilities include a gym and a swimming pool. The building is also used by members of Parliament who hold meetings or are discussing bills or new laws.
Public access
The New Zealand Parliament has a visitor centre located on the ground floor of the Beehive.[19] Tours were suspended in 2020 to limit the spread of
COVID-19. The public gallery and select committee meetings remained open to the public, subject to review.[20]
Photo gallery
The Beehive under construction in 1978
The Beehive and Parliament House in 1979
Illustration of proposal to move the Beehive behind Parliament House in 1997
^"Whare Mīere". maoridictionary.co.nz. Te Aka Māori Dictionary. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
^"Latest News from the Beehive". Beehive.
Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2019. Beehive.govt.nz is the best place to find Government initiatives, policies and Ministerial information.
Bowen House (left), the Beehive (centre) and Parliament (right). A very similar view of the latter two buildings features on New Zealand's
$20 banknote.
Alternative names
Executive Wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings
Construction began in 1969 and was completed in 1981. Since 1979, the building has housed the offices of
government ministers. Thus, the name "Beehive" is closely linked with the
New Zealand Government.[4] It is often used as a
metonym for the New Zealand leadership at large, with "the 9th floor" specifically referring to the office of the
prime minister, which is based on that floor.[5]Cabinet meets on the top floor.
History
In the 1960s the government proposed an extension of
Parliament House, which had only been partly built in 1922. Prime Minister
Keith Holyoake had wanted to complete the original plan, but the government architect persuaded him to approve a modern building which would house parliamentary offices.[6] In 1964,
English architect
Basil Spence provided the original conceptual design of a round building rising in steps. The detailed architectural design was undertaken by the New Zealand government architect
Fergus Sheppard, and structural design of the building was undertaken by the
Ministry of Works.[7] W. M. Angus constructed the first stage, beginning in 1969 — the podium, underground car park and basement for a national civil defence centre. Gibson O'Connor constructed the ten floors of the remainder of the building.[8]
Bellamy's catering facilities moved into the building in the summer of 1975–1976 and
Elizabeth II,
Queen of New Zealand, unveiled a plaque in the reception hall in February 1977. The Prime Minister,
Robert Muldoon, formally opened the building in May 1977. The government moved into the upper floors in 1979. The annexe facing Museum Street was completed in 1981.[8]
In the late 1990s, there was consideration of moving the Beehive behind Parliament House and finishing Parliament House according to the 1911 original plans. The plan was scuttled due to public outcry at the cost.[9] Renovations were carried out and the interior was modernised between 1998 and 2006 to plans by
Christchurch architecture firm
Warren and Mahoney. In 2013 and 2014, the roof was repaired and windows replaced.[7]
In July 2015,
Heritage New Zealand declared the Beehive "of outstanding heritage significance for its central role in the governance of New Zealand". Blyss Wagstaff of Heritage New Zealand called it "one of the most recognisable buildings in the country". Heritage New Zealand assigned the highest rating for a historic place, Category I, to the building.[7] The original application for the heritage designation was made by
Lockwood Smith, a former
Speaker of the House of Representatives. The heritage registration with the list number 9629 became effective on 24 July 2015. The tunnel to
Bowen House is specifically excluded from the heritage registration.[7][10]
Facts and figures
The building is ten storeys (72 metres (236 ft)) high and has four floors below ground.[11] The entrance foyer's core is decorated with marble floors, stainless steel mesh wall panels, the columns clad in
Takaka marble and a translucent glass ceiling.[8]
The Beehive's brown roof is made from 20 tonnes (44,000 lb) of hand-welted and seamed
copper. It has developed a naturally weathered appearance. A tunnel runs under Bowen Street from The Beehive to parliamentary offices in Bowen House.[7]
The Beehive's circular
footprint (see
rotunda) is generally considered an elegant and distinctive design feature. However it is also quite impractical, as many of its rooms are
wedge-shaped, curved or asymmetrical.[12] An extension has been built at the front to allow for a new security entrance. A new, bomb-proof mail delivery room has already been built at the rear of the building.[11]
The Beehive is extensively decorated with
New Zealand art and was designed to showcase the country's creative artists.[15] On the inner wall of the Banquet Hall is a mural by
John Drawbridge 42 metres (138 ft) long and 4.8 metres (16 ft) high portraying the atmosphere and sky of New Zealand.[16] The foyer contains a textile wall hanging Forest in the Sun by Joan Calvert and
Guy Ngan which was commissioned for the building.[15][17] It was hung in 1977 when the Queen opened the building, removed in 2003 during refurbishments and re-hung in 2023.[15]
Offices and facilities
The top floor is occupied by the
Cabinet room, with the
prime minister's offices directly beneath on the ninth floor (and part of the eighth).[7] The upper portion of the Beehive also contains the offices of other ministers; senior ministers are situated at proximity to the prime minister's office according to their ranking in Cabinet. The seniority of a minister is reflected in how far up the building they are.[7][18] Some ministers, especially junior ministers, are instead based in
Bowen House.[18]
Other facilities within the building include function rooms and a banqueting hall on the first floor of the Beehive, which is the largest function room in the parliamentary complex. The parliamentary catering facilities of Bellamy’s include a bar known as Pickwicks or 3.2 (due to its position in the building on the third floor and second corridor), Copperfield's café, and the Member's and Member's and Guests restaurants. The building also houses, in its basement, the country's
National Crisis Management Centre.[10] The Beehive contains a theatrette, commonly used for government press conferences. Other facilities include a gym and a swimming pool. The building is also used by members of Parliament who hold meetings or are discussing bills or new laws.
Public access
The New Zealand Parliament has a visitor centre located on the ground floor of the Beehive.[19] Tours were suspended in 2020 to limit the spread of
COVID-19. The public gallery and select committee meetings remained open to the public, subject to review.[20]
Photo gallery
The Beehive under construction in 1978
The Beehive and Parliament House in 1979
Illustration of proposal to move the Beehive behind Parliament House in 1997
^"Whare Mīere". maoridictionary.co.nz. Te Aka Māori Dictionary. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
^"Latest News from the Beehive". Beehive.
Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2019. Beehive.govt.nz is the best place to find Government initiatives, policies and Ministerial information.