The Beehive

Although the Beehive is commonly cited as the seat of Government in New Zealand it is actually simply an office block occupied by Ministers of the Crown and their staff referred to as the Executive wing. The debating chamber is in the adjacent Edwardian building.

The architectural and structural design was carried out by the Ministry of Works implementing a concept by Sir Basil Spence said to have been scrawled on a napkin in a dinner with Prime Minister Muldoon. Its modernist design and national importance has been recognised by a heritage listing.
However although it has now become a New Zealand icon, the circular shape does not contribute to its efficiency as an office building. It has led to wedge shaped cramped offices with low ceilings and non-opening windows.

The Banquet Hall has a 42-metre-long 4.8 metre-high mural by John Drawbridge