100 | The Hundertwasser Art Centre in Whangārei is colourful and irregular with uneven floors and an afforested roof. ARCHITECTURE HB Architecture T T Ange Davidson The Hundertwasser Art Centre in Whangārei has attracted its fair share of controversy since it was first mooted in 1993. Twenty-nine years later, the arts centre and Wairau Māori Art Gallery is attracting its fair share of attention, with 80,000 visitors through the building since the doors opened in February last year. Austrian artist and Northland resident, Friedensreich Hundertwasser had sketched rough plans for an arts centre prior to his death in 2000. The sketches were turned into concept drawings by the Hundertwasser Non-Profit Foundation in Vienna and German architecture firm, Springmann Architektur, with input into the design, concept and final plan by HB Architecture, a Whangārei based architecture firm. Led by principal architect Grant Harris, the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Māori Art Gallery won a New Zealand Institute of Architects award for Public Architecture in the Auckland this year, in association with the Hundertwasser Non-Profit Foundation and Springmann Architektur. “After much thought we entered the building into the Public Architecture category and are delighted to have won this local award as it’s not an easy building with regards to architecture. It demonstrates positively that the judges are prepared to look at a building that’s not in line with what most architects are doing,” believes Grant. HB Architecture created a set of detailed design drawings, working closely with the Hundertwasser Foundation and Springmann Architektur. HB architecture documented the project and reported to their client, the Whangārei Art Museum Trust, and the Foundation for review and correction. “Every part of the building had the eye of the Foundation over it. We had input into the design, and there was quite a lot of evolution between the original concept and Public architecture award for centre final plan. We would make a suggestion; it would go back to Vienna for discussion. If it wasn’t approved, we went back to review and adjustment. It was slightly easier when dealing with compliance issues as if we could apply a statutory rule with the applied change, it was more likely to be approved,” says Grant. “The construction itself was relatively straightforward once everyone understood the chain of command and what needed to be done to get to final sign off. The difficulty lay in the interpretation of the Foundation’s thinking. On top of that everyone on site, or involved with the project, had an interpretation,” he laughs. In true Hundertwasser style, the 2000 square metre arts centre is colourful, irregular, playful and energetic with uneven floors STRUCTURAL GEOTECHNICAL SURVEYING GEOPHYSICS Complex Geotechnical and Structural Seismic Analysis and Design Proudly working alongside HB Architecture www.coco.co.nz Driveways | Landscaping | Asphalt | Paving | Concrete | Sports Surfaces | Carparks | Siteworks | Demolition | Fencing | Retaining Walls | Subdivisions Proudly providing First Class Civil & Landscape works to HB Architecture Locally Owned and Operated Since 1972 09 435 0188 admin@robinsons.net.nz www.robinsonasphalts.co.nz
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