Eighty, six-metre-tall aluminium feathers have begun being installed on the Hawke’s Bay’s new research and archive centre.
The laser-cut aluminium feathers on the building’s exterior will be engraved with the names of major donors who have contributed a total of $700,000 in public fundraising by the MTG Foundation, on behalf of the Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust, for the project.
The building will house the region’s historic artefacts and taonga not on display at the MTG Hawke’s Bay and be accessible for research and education purposes.
MTG Hawke’s Bay museum director, Laura Vodanovich said the feathers represented a cloak, protecting the taonga in the Hawke’s Bay collection.
“This is where objects, art and artefacts from the collection will be cared for when they are not on display. It is fitting for the building to be cloaked in feathers to embody our commitment to protecting the region’s treasures,” she said.
“They will be backlit so at night this building will be a striking visual reminder of the important role this facility plays in our community.”
The research and archive centre features two distinct and interconnected buildings. The storage building, which is receiving its feathered exterior, is a secure, climate-controlled space designed to protect the region’s treasures from environmental threats. The building will house over 90,000 items valued at $43 million, including historic documents and photographs, taonga Māori, decorative arts, fine art, and textiles. Its companion building would be used for research, education and administration.
“The research building is light and bright and features specially designed glazed panels that create a gradient of light, providing both openness for learning and sharing knowledge and the quiet and privacy needed for focused research,” said Ms Vodanovich.
Previously, the Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust collection, when not on public display, was stored across two Napier sites. An independent report in 2018 identified these locations as unsuitable due to structural issues and their placement in tsunami inundation zones.
“This new, purpose-built facility in Hastings provides a secure, resilient environment for the collection, ensuring its preservation for generations to come,” Ms Vodanovich said.
The project has been made possible through $9 million in funding from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage’s Regional Culture & Heritage Fund and $5.5 million from the New Zealand Lotteries Commission. Hastings District Council has contributed $4.56 million and Napier City Council $3.13 million in construction costs for the centre. The project remains on track for completion by the end of the year.
