Description:

The historic Newtown Community and Cultural Centre has undergone significant redevelopment and refurbishment to restore the building to its original purpose as the social heart of the Newtown suburb, while celebrating the stories and narratives that have been woven into the place since it was first built more than a century ago.

With manaakitanga and whanaungatanga as key principles for the design approach, the redevelopment promotes positive relationships through shared experiences and fosters a sense of belonging, respect, generosity, and care for the people who the building would serve, as well as their whānau and the wider community.

The spaces are already being occupied by the community – deliberately designed to allow an organic meeting to occur, or to take a quiet pause. The building is, and was designed to function as, the communities’ living room – and is furnished accordingly. This allows the place to truly feel like home to those who need it most. Though the project has taken seven years to come to fruition, the result is undoubtedly one which will allow this century old building to continue to serve the vibrant Newtown Community with purpose and passion for what we can only hope will be another 100 years.