AusLeisure

A new, innovative design proposal has been released for the upcoming Wellington Movie Museum and Conference Centre.

Studio Pacific Architecture - the company tasked with designing the major tourist attraction - have proposed a $150 million design proposal, taking inspiration from Wellington's position in Maori mythology as the head of Maui's fish.

The building would be covered in fish-like scales made from aluminium plates, allowing it to glisten in the sun.

However, the Wellington City Council originally only approved a design costing $134.4 million - meaning the project needs to appear before the council again.

A cheaper, more basic design which comes within the original proposed budget has also been released, which the architects called "simple, rational, modernist".

Covering more than 10,000 metre² of prime waterfront land in the city’s central business district, the project is backed by Lord of the Rings director Sir Peter Jackson and will house memorabilia from the sets of Jackson’s movies and the creations of the acclaimed Weta Workshop.

Commenting on the design options, said Wellington Deputy Mayor Justin Lester told Radio New Zealand "we wanted to look at options to improve the quality of the building and [first proposed] design.

“Because it's such a special building, quite internationally significant we thought we could possibly do better, and should probably do better.

"We're going to have people travelling from all across the world to come and see and experience the location. We tasked the architects to come up with something special and I think they've done that.”

The three-storey development will be owned by the Council. The Movie Museum will be a tenant on the first two floors for an initial 25-year period, with a 1,000-plus-seat Convention Centre on the top floor.

Jackson and Weta founder Sir Richard Taylor – who worked with the director on the Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong – have invested millions in the museum and will help design its interior exhibitions. These will highlight New Zealand’s acclaimed makeup, costume and special effects industries.

According to the Council, the project is expected to boost the regeneration of Wellington, generate significant additional visitor expenditure, cement the city’s image as the film capital of New Zealand and improve liveability.

Construction could start as early as January 2017. 

Images: Studio Pacific Architecture's designs for the Wellington Movie Museum and Conference Centre. The 'fish design' (top) and basic design (below).

30th May 2016 - NEW ZEALAND FESTIVAL CONTINUES TO DELIVER DIVIDENDS FOR WELLINGTON

8th April 2016 - BUSINESS EVENTS SECTOR GENERATES HIGH VALUE FOR NEW ZEALAND

31st March 2016 - STRONG SUPPORT FOR WELLINGTON CONVENTION CENTRE AND MOVIE MUSEUM

9th December 2015 - WELLINGTON TO BENEFIT FROM NEW CONVENTION CENTRE AND MOVIE MUSEUM

24th September 2015 - NEW WELLINGTON AGENCY AIMS TO BOOST CITY’S PROSPERITY

15th November 2011 - KIWI LIFEGUARD TOWER WINS ARCHITECTURE AWARD

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.