KEY POINTS:
The designer of Te Papa in Wellington has won the contract to create Tauranga's $23.5 million proposed waterfront museum, which has yet to receive final approval from the city council.
Auckland architecture firm Jasmax has a strong pedigree in designing museums and has been hailed by Tauranga Museum establishment director Neil Anderson as a "world-class talent".
The firm's costs will be met by Tauranga City Council, though at the time of going to print details of how much public money will be used were not available.
Planning for the controversial museum comes out of the council's budget while 50 per cent of capital costs will come from external sources should the project go ahead.
The museum has been in the pipeline since 2001 but has polarised the views of Tauranga ratepayers and is set to become one of the hot issues at this year's council elections.
The decision to hire a firm to design the museum, which could be open by 2011, ahead of a final vote on the project, was made in December. Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby told that December meeting that detailed work on a definite site, along with designs, costings and what would be in it, needed to be put to the public before a final decision to build was made.
This move followed a survey of 1000 Tauranga residents which cost the council $25,000.
In the survey, 49.6 per cent of participants backed the museum while 30.8 per cent did not and 19.6 per cent said they were undecided.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Crosby confirmed that a final decision still had not been made on the museum.
He said the council elected in this year's poll would make that decision next year.
Hiring a firm to come up with designs was necessary to help councillors and the public make an informed decision on the project, Mr Crosby said.
"It is a large project and the way we manage it is stage by stage."
A list of 28 potential sites for the museum was drawn up in 2004 but was scaled down to 15 and then five.
In February, councillors decided the preferred site was over the harbour towards the southern end of the Strand waterfront. Drilling took place earlier this month, with core samples being analysed to ascertain the viability of the museum's foundations at the site.
The geotechnical investigation involved drilling out four land-based samples and four from the harbour bed.
When the results are available, they will be sent to Jasmax for its architects to base the design around.
Four firms vying for the contract to design the museum were interviewed two weeks ago in Tauranga by a panel that included museum governing board members.
Mr Anderson said it was a hard-fought process but that the winning firm had an incredible record.
He said a concept design for the museum would be available by October, ahead of resource consent applications being lodged with Environment Bay of Plenty.
Jasmax designed New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa, in an international contest. It also designed the National Maritime Museum and the Waikato Museum of Art and History.
In Tauranga, Jasmax designed Baywave Aquatic and the ABN Amro Craigs building.
The lead architects for the Tauranga Museum project will be Ivan Mercep and Hamish Boyd. Mr Boyd said the project was a unique one on a sensitive site and it had an exciting relationship with both the city and the harbour.
TAURANGA'S MUSEUM
When: Could open by 2011.
Where: On the waterfront.
How much: $23.5 million.
Who's designing it: Auckland-based Jasmax, designers of Te Papa in Wellington.
Who wants it: About 50 per cent of people in Tauranga, says a council survey.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
