The detailed design for Invercargill’s new Te Unua Museum of Southland has been revealed, showcasing an impressive and contemporary facility that will stand the test of time to house and celebrate the stories of Southland.
Te Unua Museum of Southland is part of Invercargill City Council’s Project 1225, which will see the demolition and rebuild of the city and region’s museum.
The project has also included museum storage facility Te Pātaka Taoka Southern Regional Collections Facility, completed in December 2023, and the new tuatara enclosure in Queens Park, Te Moutere Tuatara Island, which was completed and opened in June this year.
Programme Director Lee Butcher said the design team for Te Unua last year delivered a concept of what our new museum could look like, and now ECI contractor Naylor Love, alongside Architectus, have taken the initial concept forward to create a detailed design.
“The design we saw previously gave us a real taste of what our new museum could look like, but this updated and detailed design really gives us the plans for a structure that we can realistically bring to life with focus on buildability and cost certainty, while still creating a stunning and modern new facility,” he said.
“The updated designs reveal enhancements to the original concepts plus new design elements of this exciting new development for Southland.”
Butcher said enhancements included a larger education space and first-floor terrace, additional shelter on the outdoor terrace and more office and meeting spaces. The design of the cafe now had more indoor-outdoor connection and shifted the kitchen alongside the café to provide better operational use of the overall space.
