A friend in Auckland sent me some photos, including this nice rainbow.

However I was more struck by her photo of the University of Auckland Clock Tower :

It looks quite unique. Why can't we have this in Singapore? I tried finding out more about the architect, but all I could discover was that he is Roy Alstan Lippincott, and that "the Clock Tower combined traditional architectural elements with local decorative motifs : flax flowers, ponga fronds and kaka can be found in the stone detailing".

It's quite meaningful that local motifs were incorporated in the design, but I'd hoped to find out more. I don't know much about architecture, but this looks rather Gaudi to me. :unsure:

[Edit : My friend wrote from Auckland :

Managed to find something on the Clock Tower in a university heritage trail booklet left in the plane pocket on our flight to Queenstown (how queer - anyway, I've kept it as a souvenir). Seems like Lippincott's design was criticised as un-British and out of harmony with NZ national character. It was widely ridiiculed as 'Maori Gothic and denounced for resembling both a wedding cake and a cruet. A poet (Fairburn) suggested it would frighten old ladies in the park. Ha, ha.

Hmm. Nothing about him being influenced by Gaudi. But I still like it a lot. ]