Public have say on art gallery revamp

Chris Saines in the gallery's basement, which has to be used for storage because of lack of space. Picture / Kenny Rodger

Cutting down trees, taking land from Albert Park, and sticking a modern addition on one of Auckland's most cherished heritage buildings are ideas open for public debate on the $90 million restoration and expansion of the Auckland Art Gallery.

How to take the 1887 French-style colonial building into the ranks of major international art museums has already been discussed behind closed doors by design, heritage and landscape experts - with some changes being made since the first plans were released last July.

The public gets its say when the Auckland City Council lodges a notified resource consent application at the weekend.

The council has championed the project - and is contributing $25 million of the $90 million cost - but is acutely aware it includes a number of sensitive issues. These include the loss of four trees at the rear of the art gallery in Albert Park, losing 915sq m of park land and the architectural challenge of adding a modern design to a heritage building.

The four trees proposed to go are a pohutukawa, a birch, a golden ash and and oak tree which has lost two of its three main trunks and is considered a danger. Six cypress trees at the gallery's front entrance would be relocated elsewhere.

Lesley Max, who led the Save Auckland Trees campaign in Queen St, yesterday said the council needed to issue "clear and unambiguous" details of the trees planned for the chop.

Of the 915sq m of park land to be transferred to the art gallery, about 600m is paved courtyard to the north of the gallery and about 300m is at the rear of the gallery.

The goal of the redevelopment is to earthquake-proof and restore the original 1887 building and recreate the 1916 neo-classical East Gallery, which is currently used for workshops and art storage.

The 1971 Edmiston Wing will be demolished and replaced with a contemporary design along Kitchener St. Features include a series of hovering canopies relating to overhanging trees in Albert Park and light-filled gallery spaces.

The project will also deal with the 17 different floor levels throughout the gallery, the lack of a proper delivery area for artworks (large works have to be hoisted through a cafe balcony) and a rabbit warren of workshops and offices.

Gallery director Chris Saines yesterday said he was keen keep as many trees as possible overhanging the gallery because they formed part of the beauty and success of the redevelopment.

"The way that the park meets the building edge is going to be one of the most distinctive characteristics and features of this new building. That will be great for the gallery and the park user alike," said Mr Saines.

He also believed the gallery had resolved a number of concerns raised by the council's urban design panel about the relationship between the old and new architecture.

The panel supported the extension and modernisation of the gallery but had concerns at how the canopy on the new building linked with the heritage building on Kitchener St, describing the forecourt canopy as "monolithic and overpowering".

Minutes from the urban design panel show many of its concerns had been addressed by January but it wanted to be kept in the loop as the design advanced in detail.

Historic Places Trust northern general manager Sherry Reynolds said the project had a lot of commendable heritage aspects but work still needed to be done on a number of design issues.

The Auckland Art Gallery Foundation, set up to raise the $65 million not coming from ratepayers' pockets, has exceeded its first fund-raising target of $10 million by $3 million. The foundation is confident of meeting the overall target from charitable sources, arts trusts, patrons and up to $35 million from the Government.

The gallery aims to close in December this year, with work starting next March. The completion date for the project is 2010.