Published: 28 Jun 2022

Aigantighe Art Gallery is launching one of its most personal displays this week, as the Gallery showcase a range of future concepts for the home of art in South Canterbury.

In addition to the earthquake strengthening of the Heritage House Gallery, as part of the 2021-31 Long Term Plan, the Council committed to a full redevelopment of the 1978 and 1995 extensions.

The aim is to create a modern, fit for purpose art gallery that provides between 1000 to 1200 square metres of exhibition space, increased collection storage space, workspaces and loading facilities as well as a multi-functional education space and community hub.

Following an initial registration of interest, which attracted 11 submissions, five architectural firms were invited to produce more detailed concept designs. These five concepts will go on display at the Gallery from this weekend, enabling the community and visitors to give their feedback prior to the final decision being made by the project team.

The shortlisted firms were: Architecture +; Irving Smith Architects; NB Architects; Roberts Gray Architects and Designgroup NZ; Warren and Mahoney.

Gallery Project Manager, Hamish Pettengell said that as an iconic community facility, it was important that the community had the opportunity to help shape the future of the gallery.

“We see the Heritage House Gallery as one of the biggest pieces of art in our collection and the project to seismically strengthen continues, and as we move closer to redeveloping the rest of the gallery it’s important that it’s done in a way that’s both sympathetic to the heritage values of the building, while meeting the current and future needs of the community and the growing collection,” said Hamish.

“We’re now pleased that we can share these concept designs with gallery visitors and see what they think about them, and while the final decisions will be made by the project team it will be great to get insight from the community about what they want from their gallery.

“Through what’s been a detailed procurement process it’s been great to see the level of interest in this project.  The selection process was not easy, but we believe the process has allowed us to access a wider pool of talent and input from a range of architectural firms to ensure we get the right partner that understands what we are wanting to achieve for the community within the constraints of the site and budget available.

The display runs from now until Sunday 3 July. Final decisions on the concept will be made in August.

Last updated: 28 Jun 2022