Source: Radio New Zealand
RNZ / Calvin Samuel
A new Auckland sign has been unveiled this morning at the base of the Sky Tower.
Each letter of the gold-wrapped aluminium sign, paid for by SkyCity, is two metres tall, and the installation is 10 metres long.
Each of the eight letters weighs approximately 600kg.
RNZ / Calvin Samuel
The sign will also light up at night.
SkyCity’s creative studio head and project lead Joshua Smith said it was about time Auckland had its own sign.
RNZ / Calvin Samuel
“Taupō has one, Wellington’s got one, so we [SkyCity] thought, ‘Let’s build a big Auckland sign that people can stop and engage with it, and take photos. It can be a meeting place’.
“We just thought it was a cool opportunity to do something fun.”
RNZ / Calvin Samuel
For its unveiling, each of the letters has been wrapped with a design chosen by either the Auckland Blues, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Auckland Pride, a local artist or a member of the public, which will be removed after three weeks.
RNZ / Calvin Samuel
“We ran a competition for public submissions for artwork to go on the front of each letter and we also worked with some community partners.
RNZ / Calvin Samuel
“For the reveal, we have these beautiful decals on the front of each letter that people can come down and have a look at.”
He said SkyCity had plans to decorate the letters for special events.
RNZ / Calvin Samuel
SkyCity would not confirm how much the sign cost, but Smith said it was less than similar signs of the same size.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand