The project development takes place on the edge of the character precinct for the Hastings CBD. A derelict retail building was procured by the client as the new site for the collection archive center for the Museum Theatre Gallery Trust. Central to the project was adaptive re-use of the existing structure.

The cladding for each building is distinctly different, reflecting core architectural concepts: Dark House – Light House. The image of a Waka Huia (traditional Māori treasure box) was the catalyst for the deepening concept.

The Dark House provides the long-term storage environment for the Taonga. Its exterior has a profiled metal engineered facade which wraps around the building’s existing structural steel frame. The shell provides the performance, the feathers, cantilevered from the building’s structure providing the history and narrative at street level.

The Light House is a glazed curtain wall facade with a ceramic frit which becomes more opaque as the activity from the MTG conservation team becomes more light-sensitive within the interior. The Light House facilitates public-facing and the administrative needs of the MTG conservation team, providing reception, education, office, and staff amenities.