Invercargill’s Australasian design team

Architects who worked on the Auckland Art Gallery have been appointed to help design Southland’s new museum. (File photo). DAVID ST GEORGE.

Maxine Jacobs, Australasian architects chosen to design new Invercargill museum, Stuff, 3 April 2023

Award-winning Australasian architects have been chosen to bring to life Invercargill’s new monument to history.

The southern city’s new museum is part of the Invercargill City Council’s 1225 Project which will deliver a new museum base build and tuatara facility, expected to be open in the second half of 2026 when the fit out is complete.

Just over $39 million had been marked down for the projects, and the announcement of the architects was significant step forward for the project, council’s programme director Lee Butcher said.

Architects Fjcstudio, and Auckland firms Evatt Martin Architects and design Tribe were selected to design the new museum building.

The group had worked on many notable designs, such as the Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland War Memorial Museum and the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.

Butcher believed they had brilliant vision capability for the city’s new museum.

designTRIBE architects who helped to design the Auckland War Memorial Museum have been appointed to design Southland’s new museum. AUCKLAND MUSEUM/SUPPLIED.

“Fjcstudio has won an impressive amount of architectural awards in their time.

“We are absolutely confident they will deliver Invercargill an architecturally impressive building.

“Based on the extensive work they have already done, we can expect a modern and visually appealing museum that will make a great addition to our city.”

Project 1225 lead councillor Nigel Skelt said bringing the architects on board was a major milestone towards completing a beautiful new museum that the community could feel proud of.

Invercargill City councillor Nigel Skelt, left, ABL project director Bruce Middleton and Mayor Nobby Clark at the sod-turning of the site where the museum’s collections will be stored. KAVINDA HERATH/STUFF.

Skelt was looking forward to seeing designs come out over the next couple of months, with a final concept design expected in August.

“Now we can focus on the fun stuff – the designing of the actual building.

“Once people are able to see what our new museum will look like, I think they will really get excited.”

On behalf of the team at Fjcstudio, Evatt Martin and design Tribe – Evatt Martin registered architect Neil Martin said the group were “thrilled to have been selected”.

“We are looking forward to spending a lot more time in and around the region, working together with the team and community on this significant project,” Martin said.