Apartment
Urban issues with Bill McKay - Commercial conversion
Bill talks to Kathryn about empty commercial buildings and whether they could provide affordable apartments to help reduce the housing crisis. Audio
Calling Home: Rebecca Kennedy in Macau
Rebecca Kennedy splits her time between Hong Kong and Macau, but over the past 12 months she's been more or less stuck in the latter location due to the restrictions imposed because of Covid-19. She's… Audio
Calling Home: Megan Adams in Buenos Aires
Life in the four storey Residence of the Ambassador of Spain to Argentina - her husband Javier Sandomingo - is a world away from Megan Adams' upbringing in rural Southland. She's Calling Home this… Audio, Gallery
Calling Home: Kane Harnett-Mutu in Copenhagen
Taihape native Kane Harnett-Mutu is taking haka to Denmark and beyond, though Covid-19 has put paid to that work recently. But he plans to get back to spreading the positive gospel of haka when… Audio
'We need a building ministry': doco reveals high-rise horrors
A new documentary by building experts John Gray and Roger Levie has uncovered the shocking state of apartment buildings around New Zealand. Entitled A Living Hell: Apartment Disasters. Roger is with… Audio
Calling Home: Ron Hanson in Taichung City, Taiwan
Wellingtonian Ron Hanson has strong ties to Taiwan, having lived there on and off since the turn of the century. He's Calling Home from the Nantun District of Taichung City, where he lives in a… Audio
Auckland’s new pretend pa… and our cities' invisible histories
Bill McKay joins Kathryn to talk about the forgotten history of central Auckland and how it deserves more than a token nod in the new redesign of Aotea Square. Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the… Audio
Bill McKay: Back to work blues
Do you have wistful thoughts of getting out of the big-city rat race, living and working remotely from the beach or a small town? Bill joins Kathryn to talk about some things to consider. Bill McKay… Audio
What to look for when buying an apartment - part two
You're close to buying an apartment but how to know you're choosing the right one? Here's part two of University of Auckland lecturer Bill McKay's checklist of things to think and ask about when… Audio
Why aren't we encouraging more rain water harvesting?
With water restrictions being placed on Auckland and Northland due to drought, should urban dwellers be storing rainwater for irrigation and non-potable use when the weather gets dry? Audio
Calling Home: Michael Anderson in Guayaquil, Ecuador
Southland man Michael Anderson moved to Ecuador with his German girlfriend Tanja to take up a teaching position, but the couple currently find themselves on strict lockdown in the port city of… Audio
How gardening creates a time warp
Gardening is more than a relaxing hobby. It's good for your health, whatever age you are. Dr Harriet Gross is a psychology professor at Lincoln University in the United Kingdom. She explains why… Audio
Calling Home: Victoria Hoult in Porto Alegre
Victoria Hoult has been living and teaching in Porto Alegre for the past two and a half years. She and partner Ben have immersed themselves in the local community and culture and both love the… Audio
Calling Home: James Whitta in Malmö, Sweden
James Whitta is living the dream in his role as a product developer for the world's largest home furnishing retailer, IKEA, in its spiritual birthplace. The award-winning furniture designer is Calling… Audio
Calling Home: Lisa Yarwood in Paris
This week, hard on the heels of Bastille Day, Calling Home's guest is in Paris. Lisa Yarwood and her French husband have made the capital of France their home. She talks about the realities of raising… Audio
Building site now a crime scene
Five separate fires in an inner city Auckland apartment building, still under construction, are being treated as suspicious. Laura Tupou has the latest. Video, Audio
Water turned off in high rise causes firefighters' headache
The Fire Service says they are lucky a fire in a central Auckland high rise was on the top floor, or they would still be there hours later, fighting the blaze. Assistant Area commander, Roger… Audio
Govt's $11m New York apartment
New Zealand's representative at the United Nations will have a swanky $11m apartment to live in. Audio