The Beehive, Wellington

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The Beehive is the nickname of the Executive Wing of New Zealand's Parliament Buildings in Wellington. It stands at the corner of Molesworth Street and Lambton Quay, and its round, stepped shape looks like a traditional woven beehive, called a skep. The Māori name is Te Whare Mīere.

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At a glance

Country: New Zealand
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Built: 1981
Height: 72 m
Type: Government building

Quick answers

Where is The Beehive, Wellington?

The Beehive, Wellington is in Wellington, New Zealand.

When was The Beehive, Wellington built?

The Beehive, Wellington was built in 1981.

How tall is The Beehive, Wellington?

The Beehive, Wellington is about 72 m tall.

The round, beehive-shaped executive wing of New Zealand's Parliament Buildings.

Construction began in 1969 and finished in 1981. Since 1979 it has held the offices of government ministers, so people often say "the Beehive" when they mean the New Zealand government. The prime minister's office is on the ninth floor, and the Cabinet meets on the top floor. The building is listed as a Category I heritage building and has appeared on New Zealand's twenty-dollar note since 1992.

Who designed it?

In 1964 the Scottish architect Basil Spence sketched the first idea: a round building rising in steps. He called it the Beehive because it would be a busy central hub. A story says he drew it on a napkin at dinner with Prime Minister Keith Holyoake. A parliamentary committee approved the sketch plans in 1965, saying the round design used space well. The detailed plans were then drawn up by New Zealand's Government Architect, Fergus Sheppard, and later government architects.

Before the Beehive

The site used to hold Old Government House, a large wooden building from 1868. Parliament met there from 1907 to 1918, and later it became a restaurant. The original plan for Parliament House was for two matching wings, but only one was built. In the 1960s the government wanted more offices. Instead of finishing the missing wing, the government architect persuaded the prime minister to choose a modern building, which became the Beehive.

Fun facts

It was designed by Scottish architect Sir Basil Spence.
The Māori name for the Beehive is Te Whare Mīere.
The prime minister's office is on the ninth floor, so "the ninth floor" is a nickname for it.
A legend says Basil Spence drew the design on a dinner napkin.
The Beehive has been printed on New Zealand's twenty-dollar note since 1992.