ely battered collections, we developed a "democratic" non-hierarchical approach to the exhibition design, reflecting the social nature of the small town of Kaiapoi.
The museum is formed by series of pavilions, made up of large cabinets containing assemblages of objects stacked 6m high, reflecting the museum's act of collecting, the packing of people';s possessions after the earthquakes and the crating of trade objects.
Kai-a-poi loosely translates in the indigenous Maori language as: "resources coming and going" (ie trade). A series of "trade pavilions", typical of trade shows during the town's post-colonial hey-day of the 1950s, reinforce the historical importance of trade to Kaiapoi from pre-European Maori trading and pounamu (stone age) manufacturing, to the trading port and abattoirs, and to the flax, flour and woollen mills of later history.Kaiapoi Museum is a typical New Zealand small town museum for the locals rather than the international visitor. Containing many commonplace collections, we have placed an extraordinary focus on the lives and stories behind the objects on display. This same "people focus" forms the centre of the museum, where the volunteers - literally the life of the museum - rather than being in a back room, can be seen to do their work, sit and chat in the very centre of the space.
Winner Best Museum Award Museums Aotearoa 2016Winner of New Zealand Institute of Architects Regional AwardWinner of New Zealand Institute of Architects Colour Award
This new museum development is a primary tourist attraction for the Kaikoura District. Building on the existing museum collection, we expanded the interpretation to include themes for an international visitor as well as those for the locals, while keeping the eclectic charm of a New Zealand provincial museum.
The circular layout of the museum interior allows for a twofold conceptual schematic. Firstly, the centre of the museum begins with the local natural history and at its focus, the planktonic basis of all life - with specimens housed in a circular internally-expanding mirror box. From here, the displays radiate in ever-increasing circles to incorporate themes covering the full range of the natural environment, to eventually include the long local human history of fishing, whaling and village life.The second schema is concerned with the act of museum collecting and display - the circular fittings have a "display"; side (complete with beautiful joinery in timber veneers, glass cases, and extensive graphic interpretation) and a "collection storage" side (where specimens are securely stored on banks of shelving). In this manner, the same object can be seen from two differing contexts.
Mediating the interpretation are poems and karakia (blessings) that galvanize the essence of each topic and can be read as part of a many-layered visitor experience.
Finalist Best Museum Award Museums Aotearoa 2017Winner of New Zealand Institute of Architects Colour AwardWinner of New Zealand Institute of Architects Regional Award
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