Bowen House facts for kids
Bowen House is a tall office building in Wellington, New Zealand. It's a very important place because the New Zealand Parliament rents it. This means many people who work for the government, including some Members of Parliament (MPs) and their teams, have their offices here.
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What is Bowen House?
Bowen House is a 22-storey building located in the heart of Wellington. It was designed by architects Warren and Mahoney. Construction of the building started in 1988 and was finished in 1990. Since 1991, the New Zealand Parliament has leased, or rented, the entire building.
Who Works Here?
Bowen House provides office space for several important groups connected to Parliament:
- It houses offices for smaller political parties.
- Staff who work for select committees are based here. Select committees are groups of MPs who look closely at new laws or specific topics.
- Some government ministers and their support staff also have their offices in Bowen House.
How is it Connected?
Bowen House is not just a separate building. It is directly connected to the main Parliament Buildings. An underground walkway, called a travelator, links Bowen House to the Executive Wing, which is also known as the Beehive. This connection makes it easy for MPs and staff to move between the buildings safely and quickly.
Who Owns Bowen House?
Even though Parliament rents Bowen House, they don't own it. The building has had a few different owners over the years. It was once owned by a government company. Later, in 1998, this company became private. In 2012, a company called AMP Capital sold the building to Farhad Vladi, who is a property investor from Germany. Today, the New Zealand government is the only tenant, meaning they are the only ones who rent space in the building. Bowen House is also a key part of the parliamentary security system.
Images for kids
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Bowen House, viewed from the Beehive walkway
