Wellington’s new convention centre, Tākina, has officially opened
Tākina has a unique sculptural form that draws inspiration from its maritime location, Wellington’s dramatic weather patterns its and landforms.
Tākina means to invoke, to summon, to connect, to bring forth in te reo Māori.
The 1280m2 exhibition space is the largest gallery in the country and has been specifically designed to enable New Zealand to secure and host leading international touring exhibitions and provide an always-changing visitor attraction.
After nearly three years of construction, Wellington’s new 18,000m2 convention centre Tākina is officially open.
Designed by Studio Pacific Architecture, the building is situated opposite Te Papa on Wakefield Street, in central Wellington. Tākina was built to enable the country’s capital to attract international and domestic conferences for the benefit of the city, region and country and to provide a place from which to share the nation’s stories.
Kura Moeahu, Chair Te Runanganui o Te Āti Awa ki te Upoko o te Ika a Maui Inc, was joined by other members of Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Raukawa and Te Papa’s Te Hua Mākihikihi to officially open the new site at a dawn ceremony with a karakia and blessing of the building on Wednesday 31 May. The blessing was also attended by Wellington City Mayor Tory Whanau, members of the project team and community and Council representatives.
“We’re very proud to have been involved with Tākina from its inception through to completion and it was humbling to attend and celebrate the blessing and official civic opening on Wednesday,” says Stephen McDougall, a founding director at Studio Pacific Architecture and design lead of Tākina. “The project represents an enormous commitment and dedication from a large Studio Pacific design team and our fellow collaborators, consultants and contractors over many years.”
“We congratulate Wellington City Council and Willis Bond for their leadership and for having the courage and trust in Studio Pacific to deliver this striking and inspirational building. It’s very rewarding to hear stories of Wellingtonians adopting Tākina with pride as it becomes embedded in Te Whanganui-a-Tara,” says McDougall.
Tākina will be hosting an open day on Saturday 15 July with guided tours for the public to visit and explore the normally private convention floors.
For more detail, see here.
Architecture NZ magazine will publish an extensive review of the project in their July editon by Guy Marriage, Senior Lecturer Wellington School of Architecture. Subscribe to Architecture NZ here.
