DSDN171: Blog 5 - Locovisual

            Underground Tattoo and Arts Studio, on the corner of Vivian Street and Victoria Street, is a multicultural building, mixing Neo-classical style architecture with Modernism, while being influenced by native Maori designs. The columns are painted onto the building rather than architecturally designed into them emphasising the modernist aspects of the building. The columns, similar to the Angular Greek Corinthian style with necking on the Vivian Street face and more basic Doric style on the Victoria Street face has been modified by Maori style designs. Demetri Porphyrios (1987) describes the classical style as "Classicism is not a style, but a tradition that has evolved from and co-existed with the vernacular. It is a living tradition open to adaptation and interpretation, and responsive to region, climate, nature and culture." This explains that any style can influence classicism and force it to adapt similar to how the Maori patterns and designs adapt the style of the Corinthian column.

            The Maori patterns replace the Greek design on the columns, personalising it and adapting the Classical designs; traditional styles and patterns are made in the Maori design which links it to the Maori culture in New Zealand. The decoration on the Victoria Street face of the building incorporates a Taniwha; a mythological creature from native historical Maori stories that was believed to be proctective guardians of people or places or a dangerous predator that kidnapped women. This influence from Maori culture creates an effect that is unnatural for a building. The combination of Classicism and Modernism is an unnatural blend; with the inspiration of New Zealand native Maori designs making the building appear a mismatch of designs.

Jorgensen, L.B., & Porphyrios, D.(1987) Vienna Parliament. Neoclassical architecture in Copenhagen & Athens, 57, 63-68.

Barrow, T. (1923) An Illustrated guide to Maori Art, Auckland, N.Z. Reed (1995)