24 | Rotorua Lakes Council & Hawkins Construction Sir Howard Morrison legacy lives on Karen Phelps The front entrance, Te Hauāwhio, is representative of all people coming together to share stories and experiences. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Wellington (04) 384 9198 www.rlb.com Rider Levett Bucknall is proud to be supporting and providing Quantity Surveying & other construction cost management services for the SIR HOWARD MORRISON PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE The rejuvenation of an iconic facility where culture, arts, & community come together Contact: 027 556 0357 Address: 24 Aerodrome Road, Mt Maunganui PO: PO BOX 10 135, Bayfair, Mt Maunganui Email: bevan@leaderscaffolding.co.nz Website: www.leaderscaffolding.co.nz P 07 847 9428 M 027 495 0284 E lyndon.jones@xtra.co.nz www. l yndonjoneselect r i cal . co.nz Proudly supporting Rotorua Lakes Council & Hawkins Construction A cultural partnership between mana whenua, the Morrison whānau and other key players has ensured that the legacy of Sir Howard Morrison and the Rotorua area is intrinsically woven into the design of Rotorua’s new cultural centre. “The Sir Howard Morrison Centre recognises the important legacy of Sir Howard and it has been our collective aspiration to ensure that his spirit and pūmanawa (natural talents and gifts) permeate through the feel of the building,” explains Te Pae Arataki committee member and Te Tatau o Te Arawa representative, Rangitiaria Tibble. “We also have included references to the whenua on which the building stands and wider Te Arawa connections to celebrate the richness of our kāinga and heritage.” Cultural kaitiaki group Te Pae Arataki is the Chief Advisory panel for the Sir Howard Morrison Centre and Henriata Nicholas (Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue) is the artist and designer appointed to weave the cultural blueprint into the design and aesthetics of the build. Mataia Keepa (Te Arawa, Ngāti Maniapoto) played an integral part in creating the thematic framework for naming spaces within the venue, which have all been inspired by ‘Hauata’, a play on words for Sir Howard Morrison as his first name was sometimes translated as Hauata. “‘Hau’ was selected as the central theme for the space, drawing upon Tāwhirimātea as the atua of winds and clouds, to connect the terrestrial and celestial in the naming of the respective spaces. “Te Hauata also refers to the fresh wind that blows through the land heralding in the new day,” explains Rotorua Lakes Council Arts & Cultural Director Stewart Brown. Te Hauāwhio is the front entrance, signifying the coming together of multiple winds. It is representative of all people - whānau, hapū, iwi, community, New Zealanders and visitors - coming together to share stories and experiences. Moving into Te Haumihi (the main foyer) the expression of manaakitanga and of feeling welcome is essential for all who enter. Inspiration for Henriata Nicholas’ design for the front window glazing came from a particular Ngāti “We also have included references to the whenua on which the building stands and wider Te Arawa connections to celebrate the richness of our kāinga and heritage.” Whakaue puhoro pattern, which describes growth, strength, resilience and persistence. Overlaid patterns add texture, and changing gradients will draw the eye upwards to its unique roofline, and references to striving higher and reaching upwards. The centre’s logo also continues the story. It is comprised of three elements with the first shape depicting the Tūī, an eloquent speaker, a melodious singer and a powerful actor. The second shape represents He manu nuku, he manu ora – a bird that moves is a bird that feels alive. It depicts all forms of performing arts movement likened to the shimmering air on a hot day. The third shape represents looking to the past to guide the future. The Sir Howard Morrison Centre closed in November 2017 following a seismic assessment that identified the building as earthquake prone. Since then significant planning and design work has been undertaken to strengthen and redevelop the centre. Construction is currently underway with the centre reopening towards the end of 2022. Stewart says that via a new performing arts team the new centre will transform from a venue for hire model into a curated programme making it the premier performing arts centre in the Bay of Plenty region. It will offer nearly 1000 seats and also have a smaller theatre of 300 seats for intimate shows in a range of different genres and set-ups opening opportunities for up and coming performers and for more experimental theatre. “Sir Howard Morrison, the late Nancy Brunning, Temuera Morrison, Howard Morrison Jnr and Cliff Curtis all come from Rotorua so we have quite a legacy with many of them performing at the theatre. “Te Arawa are world-renowned as haka champions. We’re quite a unique destination and punch well above our weight for the performing arts. “Once complete this iconic heritage building in the heart of our city will once again be a hugely valuable, intergenerational asset and a busy community hub celebrating and showcasing the rich and diverse talent for which Rotorua is so famous.”
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