Pacific Island Memorial competition underway

A competition to design the Pacific Island Memorial in Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington is opening today, the Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni has announced.

“The winning design for this memorial will be selected by a five-person panel who bring together a huge depth of experience in art, design, architecture and Pacific culture,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

“Chaired by His Excellency Hon Fisa Pihigia, High Commissioner for Niue, the panel includes architect Andrew Tu’inukuafe, landscape architect Jacky Bowring, curator Sean Mallon and artist Leilani Kake.

“Those interested in designing this memorial to recognise New Zealand’s close relationship with our Pacific neighbours are invited to develop a concept which will then go to the selection panel for consideration.

“This will be a two-stage process with stage one involving registering interest and developing a concept for the panel’s consideration. Three concepts will then be chosen for further development with the judging panel selecting the winning design from these.

“This competition approach to the memorial’s design gives many people the opportunity to provide their ideas as to how the memorial will reflect the diversity of the Pacific Islands. And those registering interest will be given a unique identification number which ensures the anonymity of all entrants.

“Erected adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth II Education Centre on a large terrace area the memorial will be a meeting place for Pacific people and a place for all visitors to reflect on our close relationship with Pacific nations.

“This memorial will also speak for the men from Pacific countries who joined ranks with New Zealanders in both World Wars and our strong relationship with our Pacific neighbours.

“Having a Pacific Islands’ Memorial will be a welcome addition to the memorial landscape in the Park providing people with a further place to acknowledge both Aotearoa’s history during times of conflict and the on-going relationship we have with Pacific people,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

The project to build the memorial is run jointly by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade with support from the New Zealand Institute of Architects. To read the design brief for the memorial and to find out more about the competition go to: http://mch.govt.nz/pukeahu-park/pacific-islands-memorial-design-competition