Pasifika leaders are encouraging people to participate in a Wellington City Council survey about a proposed Fale (building) and Malae (adjacent green space) on the corner of Frank Kitts Park.
The Fale Malae will be a national, cultural institution that will substantially enhance the amenity value and public enjoyment of Wellington’s waterfront.
The building will be a stunning, contemporary design that celebrates Aotearoa New Zealand’s Pacific identity through arts, culture, technology, economic development and education.
Fale Malae Trust Chair Adrian Orr says the iconic building will complement the other cultural institutions on the waterfront such as Te Papa Tongarewa, Te Wharewaka o Pōneke, Wellington Museum and the Garden of Beneficence.
He said mana whenua have expressed their support for the Fale Malae, as have Pasifika leaders, Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wellington NZ and Te Papa. Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington and Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage are also key partners to the project.
“Aotearoa has always been a Pacific nation, and we should have a dedicated space to celebrate both New Zealand’s place in the Pacific and the role of Pacific people in New Zealand’s national identity.”
Trustee and Assistant Vice Chancellor (Pasifika) at Te Herenga Waka Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban says the Fale Malae will be a public space for everyone to enjoy.
“As people of Te Moana-nui-ā-Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean), we all have a shared history and common bond, which will be reflected in the Fale Malae.”
It will be an internationally significant landmark and a place of belonging that binds all cultures through nation building, and inclusive to all,” says Laban.
The Fale Malae design will be integrated into the waterfront space and support a wide range of community and educational uses. As a pavilion for Frank Kitts Park, the building includes a café and storage area to support recreational activity on the waterfront, including dragon boat racing. The Malae forms part of the public open space within Frank Kitts Park.
It will substantially enhance the amenity value of Frank Kitts Park and provide another modern and enjoyable user experience of the public spaces on the waterfront.
Located in the capital, the national Fale Malae will be near the seat of Government, the public service and the international diplomatic corps.
The facility will be used by all of these influential groups, and the wider community, and will help demonstrate New Zealand’s unique identity and role in the Pacific.
To share your thoughts on the Fale Malae, please visit wcc.nz/letstalk-frank-kitts before 5pm, Monday 10 April.
