Athfield Architects Ltd.

The New Dowse Art Museum

The New Dowse Art Museum
© Simon Devitt

THE NEW DOWSE ART MUSEUM

Athfield Architects

PROJECT YEAR
2006

LOCATION
Lower Hutt, New Zealand

CATEGORY
Museum

MANAGEMENT
Mills

PHOTOGRAPHS
Simon Devitt , Matt Paterson

STRUCTURAL
Clendon Burns and Park

CONTRACTOR
Mainzeal Ltd

SERVICES ENGINEERS
SKM

DESIGN TEAM
John Hardwick-Smith, Nick Mouat, John McIntyre, Jon, Rennie, Karly Taylor, Sally Woods

AREA
3000.0 sqm

Text description provided by architect.

The New Dowse Art Museum refurbishment was based around several key architectural objectives.

The New Dowse Art Museum
© Simon Devitt
The New Dowse Art Museum
© Simon Devitt

Firstly the new work concentrates built form, energy and money on the west face. This maximises the physical presence of the New Dowse; amalgamates new and existing buildings; and presents an active, urban-scale shop frontage to the city.

This bold façade, and the aluminium work ‘Rainscreen’ acts as a catalyst for Hutt City’s urban renewal.

Secondly, the New Dowse allows for a multitude of inter-relationships between the galleries, courtyard, theatre, retail and café spaces whilst maintaining a clear circulation loop. These spatial options provide the New Dowse with vastly improved community and commercial use options.

Thirdly, the new building provides a ceremonial axis from the ‘atia’ space in front to the internal courtyard & Pataka. This courtyard functions as an external exhibition space; an orientating device; and a light-well for the multiple spaces on all sides at both levels.

The New Dowse Art Museum
© Simon Devitt
The New Dowse Art Museum
© Simon Devitt

The New Dowse has two distinctive environmental elements – an underfloor rockstore and the highly visible aluminium ‘Rainscreen’.

The rockstore economically conditions air to the upstairs galleries whilst ‘Rainscreen’ functions as a sun shade to the west façade and a wind shield for the café users. The screen is physical evidence of the role the New Dowse plays in facilitating creative collaborations between art, design and manufacturing.

The New Dowse Art Museum
© Simon Devitt
The New Dowse Art Museum
© Simon Devitt

In 2012 the carpark was redesigned to form the Dowse Square, a new town square for Lower Hutt and an outdoor gallery for art, play & community events.


The New Dowse Art Museum
Ground Floor Plan
The New Dowse Art Museum
Upper Floor Plan
The New Dowse Art Museum
South Elevation

Athfield Architects Ltd.
T +64 3 3772007
Athfield Architects Ltd.
65 Cambridge Terrace, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand