CoCA - Centre of Contemporary Art - Toi Moroki

Pippin Wright-Stow F3 Design
  • Category undefined
  • Year completed 2016
  • Location Christchurch - Ōtautahi
  • Awards Regional Highly Commended Award- CoCA Gallery - Commercial Interior Architectural Design Award – ADNZ Resene Architectural Design Awards - 2016
  • Photos Mick Stephenson

Gallery

Project Description

An uncompromising, radical outlier in the heritage neighbourhood in which it was built in 1968, the former home of the CSA is one of the few buildings from this era left in central Christchurch. Precast panels and in-situ cast exposed concrete dress the front, announcing its alignment with Brutalism and Modernism. Today the building is a celebrated purpose-built gallery, one of the few that makes use of natural light – in this case it flows through the pyramid light wells that protrude from the roofline. Original Architect: Minson, Henning Hansen & Dines, 1968 Refurbishment / Repair/ Renovation: F3 Design 2011-2016 Due to the Canterbury earthquakes, the Centre of Contemporary Art (CoCA) needed major strengthening and repairs, which became an exciting opportunity for refurbishment and alterations. F3 Design were involved in all aspects of this work, working in close collaboration with builders and the Trust over 5 years. CoCA is a Canterbury icon, being one of the largest private galleries in New Zealand. This example of brutalist architecture has been lovingly restored by F3 Design with attention to clean lines, details that honour it's modernist style, and prominence of materials such as raw concrete