One of New Zealand’s newest tourism destinations, the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau MƒÅori Art Gallery has attracted 40,000 visitors in its first five months.
The results of a visitor survey found 70 per cent of visitors were from outside the Northland region while 95 per cent of visitors were highly likely to recommend the experience to others.
The Hundertwasser Art Centre is based on an original design by the celebrated artist, architect and ecologist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Hundertwasser was a cosmopolitan and first visited New Zealand in 1973 for a travelling exhibition, as a guest of honour of the City of Auckland. He acquired land in the Bay of Islands, which he began to reafforest. In 1986 he became a citizen.
The $33m Hundertwasser Art Centre is an original Hundertwasser architecture, where geometric straight lines and the uniformity of modern architecture is abandoned in favour of an organic approach, romanticism, individuality, and especially creativity in harmony with nature.
In keeping with the artist’s philosophy, the Hundertwasser Art Centre restores territories to nature with spontaneous vegetation, tree tenants growing out of the façade and an afforested roof. The HAC is crowned with a gold cupola, accessible by stairs or a chair lift.
The Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau MƒÅori Art Gallery was realised in collaboration with the Hundertwasser Non-Profit Foundation, which looks after Hundertwasser’s legacy and has made important works of art freely available on loan.
The HAC presents an extensive exhibition of Hundertwasser artworks as well as important exhibitions of contemporary Māori art at the Wairau Māori Art Gallery.
As well as the art exhibitions and afforested roof, the building also has an activity centre, Museum Shop and café-restaurant.
"The Hundertwasser Art Centre will be another example of Hundertwasser’s vision for more humane, responsible building in harmony with nature and people’s creativity, which will also bring sustainable economic benefits to the city of WhangƒÅrei," says Hundertwasser Non-Profit Foundation board chair Joram Harel.
"The Hundertwasser Art Centre is delivering on its tourism potential and is proving to be a real drawcard for Northland. Encouragingly, 61 per cent of those who visited from outside the region have stayed for at least one night and visited other local attractions," says HAC chief executive Kathleen Drumm.
"Visitors told us they thought the entire experience was value for money. They rated our staff highly for their depth of knowledge about the building and Hundertwasser’s art and philosophies – as well as for their friendliness. That’s a credit to our team and something we’re all very proud of,” says Kathleen.
Immediately prior to opening in February, the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Māori Art Gallery was awarded a Silver Qualmark Sustainable Tourism Business Award.
The project was completed with $18.5million in funding from the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund, managed by KƒÅnoa’s Regional Development Unit. Northland Regional Council contributed $1.5million. As a result of a referendum in 2015, WhangƒÅrei District Council provided $2.98million towards the cost of earthquake strengthening. Community funds of $10million were raised from Lotteries, Foundation North and Oxford Sports Trust. Funds were also raised from private and public donations, as well as from sales.
