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"Thinking it through" is available from either Rim Books or Karaka Bay Press for the astonishingly low price of $30. This book brings together a series of articles by Tony Watkins and photographs by Haru Sameshima, originally published in "Home and Building" over an eight year period. You will find a review by Greg O'Brien published in Tui Motu at www.tony-watkins.com/content/view624/20/ and a review by John Walsh published in the Listener at www.tony-watkins.com/content/view/618/20/ You will find a selection of the original articles at www.tony-watkins.com/content/view/21/20/
This book would make an ideal present.
"The Human House" is now available as a book. Itgathers together all the articles which originally appeared in the Auckland Star along with a Prologue and an Epilogue. It is available for $40 from John Balasoglou or for $35, or $40 including packing and postage, from Karaka Bay Press, through this web site. You will find a review at www.tony-watkins.com/content/view/486/20/
Everyone thinking about building a house should read this book first.
Copies of "Piglet the Great of Karaka Bay" are still available. A few sample pages at www.tony-watkins.com/content/view/9/26
All these books are also available at Tower Bakery in Waimarie Street, the best bakery in Auckland.
"Kohukohu Heritage Precinct" by Tony Watkins and Graeme North, originally published in 2009, was reprinted in 2013. It is available from "Village Arts", or directly from Karaka Bay Press. $20 but half price for Kohukohu locals.
After a short-run reprint a very limited number of copies of "Veracular - An architecture for the RMA and Agenda 21" were available from Parsons. Sadly the bookshop closed down in 2012 but they may still be able to supply. Check the price with them.
Hopefully "The house that Piglet Built" will be published in late 2014. This book tells the story of the building of Arakaianga at Te Ohu with the support of Piglet at the Tree House. It weaves together Hokianga adventures and different ways of seeing the world.
An article on Rio+20 was published in both the August 2012 issue of Tui Motu and NZIA Cross Section, with extracts in the Arc-Peace Newsletter. You will find it at www.tony-watkins.com/content/view/605/20/
I have always liked the form of the Letter to the Editor. A good letter should be like a haiku, short and yet saying much more than is obvious at first.
"Stormwater forum" in November 2013 took the Auckland Council to task for failing to obtain Resource Consents for itself while expecting everyon else to do so.
Older letters include "Planners take note" published in the Herald, in Jaunuary 2011. It praised Chris Barton for his excellent writing about Sagrade Familia and Mark Burry. It also hoped there might be changes in the planning process. Check it out at www.tony-watkins.com/content/view/572/20/
My letter published in the Herald on GM pine was cheered on by friends, but a dead duck as far as the public was concerned. Rather like leaky homes. No one was interested until their own homes rotted to pieces. Check it out at www.tony-watkins.com/content/view/566/20/
 Two other older letters published in the Herald are at www.tony-watkins.com/content/view/322/20/
on the new weak-kneed ACC logo, and at www.tony-watkins.com/content/view/345/20/
on the demolition of the Edmiston Wing of the Art Gallery.
Three letters published in the East and Bays Courier are at www.tony-watkins.com/content/view/393/20/
arguing for a total ban on all dogs at all times at all Auckland beaches. Sydney adopted this policy long ago to make beaches safe places for people.
An article published in Tui Motu pointed out that creativity during the Medieval period was at least 22 times greater than it is now. Simple statistics suggest that our building industry is a basket case. You will find it at www.tony-watkins.com/contect/view/564/20
An article published in Cross Section put the case for the NZIA to sign up to the Earth Charter. You will find it at www.tony-watkins.com/content/view/352/20/
It hit the mark and on 21 May 2008 the NZIA Council resolved to sign up. The Earth Charter sets an ethical standard which over time will lead to ethically responsible architecture.
The NZIA has been endlessly debating changing our world-leading environmental policy into something more suitable for business. Along the way history has been forgotten. As a reminder I have put a few of the NZIA Position Papers I wrote in support of the Environmental Policy on line. You will find them at www.tony-wtkins.com/content/view/512/20/
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Nothing here which is right up to date, but some older work to enjoy.
I love bouncing ideas around with adults. They know what they are on about and they are willing to make big changes in their lives, and through doing this to also make big changes in the world. I usually manage to banish mediocrity with students either loving or hating my courses.
We set a world record when the entire print run of "
The NZIA left itself in an extremely poor position to comment on urban design when it traded in the gracious sophistication of 
Despots, great and small, are notable for the excesses of their architecture, and ego-architects love them. Architectural magazines thrive on images of 
The proposal to build a seven story hotel on the 
The situation was summed up in a "brevity" in the NZ Herald. "The Fukushima nuclear power station was built on a prime waterfront site." 
Selfishness has no part to play in sharing 
Everyone in New Zealand seems to be talking nonsense about 
Tourism is a trap. You end up seeing what someone else thinks you ought to see. Tourists tick boxes when they might instead discover new worlds which they never imagined could exist. When people ask about places or people I have begun sharing my thoughts through my web page. There is no logic. If you are going to Edmonton then I suggest a side trip to the Icefield Parkway. If you are going to Italy it is well worth looking up some of the work of Carlo Scarpa. If you are in the Alpes Maritime region then make a quick side trip to Colletta del Castelbianco. When in Vienna do not miss MAK. In Berlin the 100 bus is ideal for exploring and orientation. It would be easy to miss Gehry’s bank.
In January 2010 I had a 
Telling it the way it is may not be a pathway to success.
It is always interesting to discover what threatens people.
With the 
One alternative to the Rehab Ward after my stroke was to set out on a 6000km adventure driving around the South Island.
In September 2011 I went up to Japan for 
2010 was dominated by the corrupt Auckland City Council carrying out illegal works to destroy the beach frontage and leave behind a tangle of wire and imported rock which had nothing to do with this sacred space. Murray may have known a lot about death but he knew nothing about life and he took control to exclude the coastal experts through ensuring that the necessary permits were not obtained. Doug was voted off the Council, but it was too late to save the beach. Rae cashed in and sold up. A sorry saga. Lots of material to scroll through, but only to despair at the stupidity of people when confronted with environmental questions. Look elsewhere for hope.
On a more cheerful note there was a slightly terrifying moment when I thought we might have ended up with 150 party-goers stranded on Motukorea. Richard stayed on for an extra hour and shuttled everyone back to the food and wine.
The beauty of classic yachts has never been equalled. 
The sculpture of 
2008 saw the passing of Barry Barclay, Walter Pollard, Hone Tuwhare, Ed Hillary and Joe Polaischer. We will not see the likes of them again.
A selection of Karaka Bay photographs can be found at 
The Herald ran an article on the 
There is always something to learn at 
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