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Te Ngākau Civic Square
Descriptive Data
Other NamesCivic Square
Date RangeOpened November 1991DescriptionWellington’s Civic Square sits on land reclaimed from the harbour in the 1880s by the Wellington City Council as part of major, long-running projects to expand the city and build a more robust harbour. Many civic buildings were constructed on the site, including the first permanent Wellington Public Library and in 1901 work began on a town hall on the corner of Cuba and Mercer Streets. Throughout the 20th century many more civic buildings were constructed in the area, including the new library in 1940, the Municipal Office Building in 1951 and the Michael Fowler Centre in 1983.
Civic Square was created as a new public space at the centre of a project to extend and refurbish this area of City Council buildings into a central Wellington hub with a link to the waterfront. Plans for a Civic Sqaure were floated for decades, the current site was chosen due to the high concentration of local government buildings already present. Originally bordered by Harris, Victoria, Mercer Streets and Jervois Quay, the area was set aside for a square from 1964 with the Wellington City Council buying the buildings in the area as they became available.
Work began in 1989, parts of Mercer Street were closed, the library became the city gallery, many civic buildings were refurbished and the City to Sea Bridge to the waterfront was constructed. Civic Square was officially opened November 1991. The new Central Library Te Matapihi Ki Te Ao Nui with the iconic nikau palm pillars and refurbished town hall were completed in 1992, completing the project. Since then it has become home to numerous works of public art due to the presence of the City Gallery.
A sculpture by Neil Dawson named Ferns is suspended high above the square. The unique Quasi overlooks the square from the City Gallery’s roof. Even the paving itself is an art piece. Te Aho a Maui by Rewi Thompson depicts the legend of Maui fishing up the North Island, laying across the bridge to the waterfront it represents the connection between sea and land. The diagonal pattern symbolises the rope as it passes through two triangular forms representing mountains before it unfurls into the square itself.
In 2018 the name Te Ngākau, meaning the heart, was gifted to the city by Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika. The central position of Te Ngākau has made it a popular location for public gatherings. Victoria University graduation parades conclude at the site and over the years many protests have gathered in the square before marching towards parliament. On quieter days it serves as a community gathering spot, hosts public events and is a popular place to take a lunch break.
Due to the impact of the 2013 and 2016 earthquakes many of the buildings at Te Ngākau have been closed.Geo Coordinates[1]
Date RangeOpened November 1991DescriptionWellington’s Civic Square sits on land reclaimed from the harbour in the 1880s by the Wellington City Council as part of major, long-running projects to expand the city and build a more robust harbour. Many civic buildings were constructed on the site, including the first permanent Wellington Public Library and in 1901 work began on a town hall on the corner of Cuba and Mercer Streets. Throughout the 20th century many more civic buildings were constructed in the area, including the new library in 1940, the Municipal Office Building in 1951 and the Michael Fowler Centre in 1983. Civic Square was created as a new public space at the centre of a project to extend and refurbish this area of City Council buildings into a central Wellington hub with a link to the waterfront. Plans for a Civic Sqaure were floated for decades, the current site was chosen due to the high concentration of local government buildings already present. Originally bordered by Harris, Victoria, Mercer Streets and Jervois Quay, the area was set aside for a square from 1964 with the Wellington City Council buying the buildings in the area as they became available.
Work began in 1989, parts of Mercer Street were closed, the library became the city gallery, many civic buildings were refurbished and the City to Sea Bridge to the waterfront was constructed. Civic Square was officially opened November 1991. The new Central Library Te Matapihi Ki Te Ao Nui with the iconic nikau palm pillars and refurbished town hall were completed in 1992, completing the project. Since then it has become home to numerous works of public art due to the presence of the City Gallery.
A sculpture by Neil Dawson named Ferns is suspended high above the square. The unique Quasi overlooks the square from the City Gallery’s roof. Even the paving itself is an art piece. Te Aho a Maui by Rewi Thompson depicts the legend of Maui fishing up the North Island, laying across the bridge to the waterfront it represents the connection between sea and land. The diagonal pattern symbolises the rope as it passes through two triangular forms representing mountains before it unfurls into the square itself.
In 2018 the name Te Ngākau, meaning the heart, was gifted to the city by Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika. The central position of Te Ngākau has made it a popular location for public gatherings. Victoria University graduation parades conclude at the site and over the years many protests have gathered in the square before marching towards parliament. On quieter days it serves as a community gathering spot, hosts public events and is a popular place to take a lunch break.
Due to the impact of the 2013 and 2016 earthquakes many of the buildings at Te Ngākau have been closed.
Geo Coordinates[1] Image
Maps and Plans
Citation
Wellington City Council Archives, 00522-3
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Administrative Data
Described ByAdam SamsonDate of Description14/12/2022
Date of Description14/12/2022loading google map....
Te Ngākau Civic Square. Archives Online, accessed 02/06/2023, https://archivesonline.wcc.govt.nz/nodes/view/102113