HBMAG is a place of stories, heritage, art and artefacts - a place where the community can hear its own voice, discover where it has come from and imagine what the future might bring.
Friday August 7 2009
"Light, modern, iconic space" on the horizon for new Museum
Napier City Council is today launching an initiative to redevelop the Hawke's Bay Museum and Art Gallery.
The $17million project will be funded through local and central government, as well as through contributions from the community including individuals, families and businesses.
Mayor of Napier City Barbara Arnott believes redeveloping the Museum is about creating a fitting home for the Museum's collections and securing a prime Marine Parade site for generations to come.
"By making a firm, long-term commitment to the Hawke's Bay Museum and Art Gallery we are ensuring an iconic site in Napier is held in public ownership for as many generations as we can practically plan for," said Ms Arnott. "Alongside that, the collections housed here are owned by the people of Hawke's Bay and we need to respect the fact we are custodians of that social history."
Director of the Hawke's Bay Museum and Art Gallery Douglas Lloyd Jenkins is dedicated to retaining the history and character of the building while introducing light and space, and making better use of existing areas.
"Our exhibitions are innovative and extremely well-received, and we have some of the best collections in New Zealand but lack of space means we aren't fulfilling our potential," Mr Lloyd Jenkins said. "This project aims to repackage the outside to match the wealth of objects and artefacts inside."
The redevelopment project will be launched tonight at a red-carpet cocktail event held at the Hawke's Bay Museum and Art Gallery, which runs between Herschell Street and Marine Parade in Napier.
The redevelopment makes full use of the existing architectural features, showing them off to their fullest. It also adds more storage, work space and archive rooms than are currently available at the site. A work by New Zealand artist Sara Hughes will run the length and height of the facade of the new build creating a striking first impression for visitors.
Douglas Lloyd Jenkins is proud of the way the design creates one building out of many, without losing architectural qualities.
"The new building focuses on creating a light, modern, iconic space," said Mr Lloyd Jenkins. "Although the design will be very contemporary, it will also be sympathetic to the existing Napier cityscape and particularly to its direct neighbours."
The Hawke's Bay Museum and Art Gallery has a rich history of cutting-edge architecture. The first wing was designed by iconic art deco architect Louis Hay in the 1930s. The Century theatre, which has become a cornerstone of culture and performance in Hawke's Bay, was built in the 1970s by leading modernist architect Guy Natusch.
The architect for the project, which will begin construction half way through 2010, is Richard Daniels of Opus International Consulting. Daniels was the lead architect on the Staples Rodway Building in Hastings and the new Hawke's Bay Regional Council offices in Napier.
The project team is working closely with the Historic Places Trust, especially around the old Borough Council Building, which is Grade 2 listed.
A project website has been set up. It will be available at www.forus.org.nz from Saturday 8 August.
More information on Sara Hughes, who works on a grand scale with repetitive pattern and lots of bold colour, can be found at www.sarahughes.co.nz
Render of the proposed Hawke's Bay Museum & Art Galley design