| 3 Whanganui District Council - Te Whare o Rehua COMMUNITY T T Kelly Deeks Cultural, economic & community benefits A mahau reflects light and shelters the entrance way. The transformation of Whanganui’s iconic Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua has been recognised with a string of national awards, celebrating a redevelopment project that has delivered cultural, economic, and community benefits for the region. Standing on Pukenamu Queen’s Park for more than a century, the neo-classical, Oamaru-stone gallery closed in 2014 after being deemed a seismic risk. Now, following a $70 million redevelopment, the gallery has reopened with its original heritage building strengthened and restored, and a striking new black-granite wing – Te Pātaka o Tā Te Atawhai Archie John Taiaroa – added to house climate-controlled storage, exhibition spaces, education facilities, and a café. The long-awaited project has already earned recognition across architecture, engineering, construction, and property sectors. In June, Warren and Mahoney won the Civic Award at the 2025 Interior Awards, with judges praising the gallery’s “culturally responsive, collaborative design” and its ability to honour history while embracing bicultural narratives. Clendon Burns & Park received the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering’s John Hollings Seismic Resilience in Practice Award, alongside McMillan & Lockwood and Warren and Mahoney, for preserving the building’s character while discreetly embedding state-of-the-art seismic resilience. At the NZ Institute of Architects (NZIA) Western Awards, the gallery earned accolades in both the Public Architecture and Heritage categories. Judges commended the new wing’s design, co-created with Whanganui iwi and artists, for embedding the pūrākau of Te Awa T T to page 4 Tupua into the building form. The heritage citation acknowledged the careful restoration of the 1919 gallery, ensuring it remains “a lasting taonga celebrating art, architecture, and learning for generations to come.” Both categories will go forward to the NZIA National Awards in November. Concrete NZ also placed the redevelopment in the national spotlight, presenting it with the Premier Award and Excellence in Concrete for the Community Award at the 2025 Concrete Construction Awards. Judges highlighted the innovative use of more than 300 stainless steel post-tensioned bars and concrete tie beams, which strengthened the structure while preserving its architectural elegance. Further recognition came at the Property Council New Zealand Awards, where the A carved totara waka walk bridge, links the original heritage gallery to the new extension . Specialising in concrete boom pumping, line pumping & shotcrete in the Manawatu-Whanganui & Taranaki regions. Get In Touch 021 0844 3000 pat@concretepumping.nz
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