Te Whare O Rehua Sarjeant Gallery Wins Top Honour At 2025 Concrete Construction Awards
The refurbishment and expansion of Whanganui's iconic Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery has taken top honour at the 2025 Concrete Construction Awards held last night at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland.
The gallery project won the Premier Award and the Excellence in Concrete for the Community category in recognition of extending the structure's life, preserving architectural integrity, and transforming a nationally significant building into a world-class facility for the community at Aotearoa.
The 2025 Concrete Construction Awards celebrate excellence in concrete design, construction, innovation, rehabilitation and research, with entries judged across nine categories.
Around 275 people attended the awards, including architects, concrete designers, engineers and developers from across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery reopened in November 2024 after a major redevelopment that strengthened and restored the original 105-year-old heritage-listed structure while adding a striking new wing, Te Pātaka o Tā Te Atawhai Archie John Taiaroa.
Judges praised the project's outstanding use of concrete to deliver a discreet yet highly effective seismic strengthening solution within a sensitive heritage context. Over 300 stainless steel post-tensioned bars, new composite diaphragms, and meticulously executed concrete tie beams were employed to enhance resilience while maintaining architectural elegance.
The project team behind the Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery transformation comprises Clendon Burns & Park, the Sarjeant Gallery Trust, Warren & Mahoney, McMillan & Lockwood, and Contech.
Concrete NZ Chief Executive Rob Gaimster said through hidden concrete interventions the refurbishment and expansion of Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery delivered seismic resilience without compromising heritage value.
'The result is a restored gallery that honours its past and safeguards its future; an exemplar of how concrete can respectfully modernise historic infrastructure. This remarkable project sets a national benchmark for how concrete can restore, strengthen, and honour New Zealand's most significant public buildings,' he said.
Almost 50 projects nationwide entered the 2025 Concrete Construction Awards and were judged in categories ranging from innovation, to infrastructure, sustainability, and landscaping.
'The calibre of award entries this year has been outstanding, emphasising concrete's role in resilient, low-carbon infrastructure, as well as reinforcing concrete's position as the durable, low-carbon material of choice for modern New Zealand, Gaimster said.
Category Award Winners and Highly Commended
Premier Award (overall winner): Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui
Excellence in Concrete for the Community: Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui
Highly Commended: Wi Neera Walkway, Raglan
Excellence in Concrete Infrastructure: Te Ara Tupua, Wellington
Highly Commended: Tauhara Geothermal Power Plant, Taupō
Highly Commended: SH94 Homer Tunnel Avalanche Shelter, Fiordland
Excellence in Architectural Concrete (Monte Craven Award): Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa, Rotorua
Highly Commended: Sylvia Park Build-To-Rent (BTR) Architectural In-Situ Shear Walls, Auckland
Excellence in Commercial Concrete: Mānawa Bay Premium Outlet Centre, Auckland International Airport
Excellence in Concrete Innovation: Ecoreef® erosion solution, Akitio
Highly Commended: KiwiKrete for KinaKrete
Excellence in Sustainable Concrete for the Planet: Shakespeare Bay Log Yard, Marlborough Sounds (NZ's first major use of Roller Compacted Concrete)
Highly Commended: APD Factory, Auckland
Excellence in Concrete Remediation and Reuse: Region 3 & 4 Bridge Strengthening Programme, Waikato & Bay of Plenty
Highly Commended: SH1 Mangatoetoenui Stream Bridge Replacement, Desert Road
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
01-08-2025
- RNZ News
Sarjeant Gallery final cost $79.4m – ratepayers pick up a third of the bill
The final accounts are in for the redevelopment of Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery. Photo: Supplied / Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery / Andy Spain photography Whanganui ratepayers will foot $26 million of the $79m bill to redevelop Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery. The project's final cost includes an overspend of $19.67m. A final report by project director Gaye Batty was delivered to Whanganui District Council's operations and performance committee on Thursday. The mammoth project was to restore, upgrade and earthquake strengthen the 106-year-old gallery and construct a modern extension, Te Pātaka o Tā Te Atawhai Archie John Taiaroa. In 2015, the council committed $5m to the redevelopment through its long-term plan and guaranteed the project in 2017 to secure central government funding. The final cost to the council will be $26.08m, including the initial $5m commitment. Mayor Andrew Tripe said a ratepayer contribution of a third of the cost was an extraordinary outcome, with two-thirds met by fundraising. "There aren't many civic projects that get that level of investment from external sources." Batty said the initial project budget in 2019/2020 was $55.06m including a $5.15m contingency. Since that time the project had overcome a range of challenges and incurred significant delays because of unavoidable factors, most due to the complexity of the upgrading and seismic strengthening of the original Sarjeant Gallery building. The work was extended by 21 months. "In line with other major projects that have had to manage the combined impact of Covid-19 on programme, staff availability, material and labour cost escalations and disruptions in the supply chain, the project has significantly exceeded the original project budget," Batty said. Kapa haka at the opening of the gallery in November 2024. Photo: Supplied / Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery Following the settlement of the main contractor's final account in July, the forecast total project cost to November 2025 was $79.4m - an overspend of $19.67m. Two-thirds of increased costs related to the existing building, ground conditions, the impact of Covid-19 and design variations including for mechanical design changes. The balance of cost was from consent processing delays, external works and the eastern driveway, archaeology and contract works insurance. Tripe said the project would not have progressed from its inception nearly 30 years ago without the efforts of the Sarjeant Gallery Trust and the funds raised by donations and grants provided by successive governments. "Despite Covid lockdowns, inflation and construction delays, we now have an award-winning cultural facility that's already generating value for our community and local economy and will do so for a hundred years and more," Tripe said. The gallery opened in November 2024 and has been recognised internationally. National Geographic recently named it among the world's top 10 cultural hotspots to visit in 2025. Whanganui District Council chief executive David Langford told the council's operations and performance committee that the gallery was exceeding all expectations. A recent survey showed nearly 60 percent of visitors were from outside the district, and most stayed for over three nights, helping deliver an estimated $17.6m in economic impact annually. Last week the visitor count hit 100,000. Visitor survey results recorded 96 percent satisfaction and revenue from the gallery's café, retail shop and venue hire had already exceeded $700,000, helping offset ongoing operational costs. Langford said the five-year redevelopment was one of the most complex and rewarding projects the council had undertaken. "We were restoring and strengthening a fragile heritage building on a sandhill, during a global pandemic. "Despite these challenges, the project was completed to a high standard and with full transparency about cost and timeline impacts." He said employing local contractors injected an estimated $20.7m into the Whanganui economy and the construction period overall generated an estimated $49-55m in wider economic impacts. - LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
Scoop
05-06-2025
- Scoop
Te Whare O Rehua Sarjeant Gallery Wins Top Honour At 2025 Concrete Construction Awards
The gallery project won the Premier Award and the Excellence in Concrete for the Community category in recognition of extending the structures life, preserving architectural integrity, and transforming a nationally significant building into … The refurbishment and expansion of Whanganui's iconic Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery has taken top honour at the 2025 Concrete Construction Awards held last night at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland. The gallery project won the Premier Award and the Excellence in Concrete for the Community category in recognition of extending the structure's life, preserving architectural integrity, and transforming a nationally significant building into a world-class facility for the community at Aotearoa. The 2025 Concrete Construction Awards celebrate excellence in concrete design, construction, innovation, rehabilitation and research, with entries judged across nine categories. Around 275 people attended the awards, including architects, concrete designers, engineers and developers from across Aotearoa New Zealand. Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery reopened in November 2024 after a major redevelopment that strengthened and restored the original 105-year-old heritage-listed structure while adding a striking new wing, Te Pātaka o Tā Te Atawhai Archie John Taiaroa. Judges praised the project's outstanding use of concrete to deliver a discreet yet highly effective seismic strengthening solution within a sensitive heritage context. Over 300 stainless steel post-tensioned bars, new composite diaphragms, and meticulously executed concrete tie beams were employed to enhance resilience while maintaining architectural elegance. The project team behind the Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery transformation comprises Clendon Burns & Park, the Sarjeant Gallery Trust, Warren & Mahoney, McMillan & Lockwood, and Contech. Concrete NZ Chief Executive Rob Gaimster said through hidden concrete interventions the refurbishment and expansion of Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery delivered seismic resilience without compromising heritage value. 'The result is a restored gallery that honours its past and safeguards its future; an exemplar of how concrete can respectfully modernise historic infrastructure. This remarkable project sets a national benchmark for how concrete can restore, strengthen, and honour New Zealand's most significant public buildings,' he said. Almost 50 projects nationwide entered the 2025 Concrete Construction Awards and were judged in categories ranging from innovation, to infrastructure, sustainability, and landscaping. 'The calibre of award entries this year has been outstanding, emphasising concrete's role in resilient, low-carbon infrastructure, as well as reinforcing concrete's position as the durable, low-carbon material of choice for modern New Zealand, Gaimster said. Category Award Winners and Highly Commended Premier Award (overall winner): Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui Excellence in Concrete for the Community: Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui Highly Commended: Wi Neera Walkway, Raglan Excellence in Concrete Infrastructure: Te Ara Tupua, Wellington Highly Commended: Tauhara Geothermal Power Plant, Taupō Highly Commended: SH94 Homer Tunnel Avalanche Shelter, Fiordland Excellence in Architectural Concrete (Monte Craven Award): Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa, Rotorua Highly Commended: Sylvia Park Build-To-Rent (BTR) Architectural In-Situ Shear Walls, Auckland Excellence in Commercial Concrete: Mānawa Bay Premium Outlet Centre, Auckland International Airport Excellence in Concrete Innovation: Ecoreef® erosion solution, Akitio Highly Commended: KiwiKrete for KinaKrete Excellence in Sustainable Concrete for the Planet: Shakespeare Bay Log Yard, Marlborough Sounds (NZ's first major use of Roller Compacted Concrete) Highly Commended: APD Factory, Auckland Excellence in Concrete Remediation and Reuse: Region 3 & 4 Bridge Strengthening Programme, Waikato & Bay of Plenty Highly Commended: SH1 Mangatoetoenui Stream Bridge Replacement, Desert Road
Scoop
05-06-2025
- Scoop
Te Whare O Rehua Sarjeant Gallery Wins Top Honour At 2025 Concrete Construction Awards
The refurbishment and expansion of Whanganui's iconic Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery has taken top honour at the 2025 Concrete Construction Awards held last night at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland. The gallery project won the Premier Award and the Excellence in Concrete for the Community category in recognition of extending the structure's life, preserving architectural integrity, and transforming a nationally significant building into a world-class facility for the community at Aotearoa. The 2025 Concrete Construction Awards celebrate excellence in concrete design, construction, innovation, rehabilitation and research, with entries judged across nine categories. Around 275 people attended the awards, including architects, concrete designers, engineers and developers from across Aotearoa New Zealand. Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery reopened in November 2024 after a major redevelopment that strengthened and restored the original 105-year-old heritage-listed structure while adding a striking new wing, Te Pātaka o Tā Te Atawhai Archie John Taiaroa. Judges praised the project's outstanding use of concrete to deliver a discreet yet highly effective seismic strengthening solution within a sensitive heritage context. Over 300 stainless steel post-tensioned bars, new composite diaphragms, and meticulously executed concrete tie beams were employed to enhance resilience while maintaining architectural elegance. The project team behind the Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery transformation comprises Clendon Burns & Park, the Sarjeant Gallery Trust, Warren & Mahoney, McMillan & Lockwood, and Contech. Concrete NZ Chief Executive Rob Gaimster said through hidden concrete interventions the refurbishment and expansion of Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery delivered seismic resilience without compromising heritage value. 'The result is a restored gallery that honours its past and safeguards its future; an exemplar of how concrete can respectfully modernise historic infrastructure. This remarkable project sets a national benchmark for how concrete can restore, strengthen, and honour New Zealand's most significant public buildings,' he said. Almost 50 projects nationwide entered the 2025 Concrete Construction Awards and were judged in categories ranging from innovation, to infrastructure, sustainability, and landscaping. 'The calibre of award entries this year has been outstanding, emphasising concrete's role in resilient, low-carbon infrastructure, as well as reinforcing concrete's position as the durable, low-carbon material of choice for modern New Zealand, Gaimster said. Category Award Winners and Highly Commended Premier Award (overall winner): Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui Excellence in Concrete for the Community: Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui Highly Commended: Wi Neera Walkway, Raglan Excellence in Concrete Infrastructure: Te Ara Tupua, Wellington Highly Commended: Tauhara Geothermal Power Plant, Taupō Highly Commended: SH94 Homer Tunnel Avalanche Shelter, Fiordland Excellence in Architectural Concrete (Monte Craven Award): Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa, Rotorua Highly Commended: Sylvia Park Build-To-Rent (BTR) Architectural In-Situ Shear Walls, Auckland Excellence in Commercial Concrete: Mānawa Bay Premium Outlet Centre, Auckland International Airport Excellence in Concrete Innovation: Ecoreef® erosion solution, Akitio Highly Commended: KiwiKrete for KinaKrete Excellence in Sustainable Concrete for the Planet: Shakespeare Bay Log Yard, Marlborough Sounds (NZ's first major use of Roller Compacted Concrete) Highly Commended: APD Factory, Auckland Excellence in Concrete Remediation and Reuse: Region 3 & 4 Bridge Strengthening Programme, Waikato & Bay of Plenty Highly Commended: SH1 Mangatoetoenui Stream Bridge Replacement, Desert Road
