Te Papa Tongarewa

Jasmax + Bossley Architects Pete Bossley, while Design Director at Jasmax Architects, was the principal jointly in charge of the design and documentation of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington. Subject of an international design competition, this $120 million building has subsequently gone on to become highly acclaimed, attracting much international interest as one of the world's challenging new museums. The competition brief was extremely demanding: requiring a design which powerfully represented the total bi-cultural and national identity of New Zealand, the co-ordination of over 350 spaces and a building which was to have an expected minimum lifespan of 150 years. This latter required a structural design which took into account siting over a major geological fault line, and the protection of exhibits and occupants in exacting environmental conditions. The phenomenal public interest in the museum (4.5 million visitors in less than 4 years) attests to the success of the design and has required the recent expansion of gallery and public spaces which together with the main $1.5million Treaty of Waitangi Exhibit, have been designed by Pete Bossley (in joint venture with others) during the last five years.