The Beehive

This distinctive circular tower houses the executive wing of New Zealand's government, including the offices of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Designed by British architect Basil Spence and completed in stages through the late 1970s and early 1980s, its tapering, layered form resembles a traditional straw beehive, from which its nickname derives. It sits beside the older Parliament House and has become a widely recognised symbol of the nation's political life. The building anchors the wider Parliament precinct.