2021 Western Architecture Awards Winner
Te Manawa Te Papaioea (1977)
Heralded as a new direction for the art scene in the Manawatu, and indeed the rest of the country, the Manawatu Art Gallery embraced the latest modernist ideas, and used textured and cast in situ concrete, metal and timber in a new way. The existing building is stage one of a larger, unrealised development. Clerestory windows, skillion roofs and a central mezzanine floor provide a variety of exhibition spaces, viewing points and office accommodation. The building is inwardly focused yet retains views and connections to the landscaped exterior, while admitting natural light into gallery spaces. The building was, and continues to be, a worthy sanctuary for important works of art, and is itself a taonga that the city can be grateful for.
