DURATION: 2022 - 2025 
BUDGET: $20M 
CLIENT: HASTINGS DISTRICT COUNCIL

THE BRIEF
Located on a prominent corner site in Hastings, this project transformed a disused 1950s portal frame shed into a state-of-the-art, climate-controlled facility designed to house Hawke’s Bay’s taonga. Alongside the adaptive reuse and seismic strengthening of the original structure, a new, seismically separated two-storey steel-framed office building was constructed to support the operational needs of the facility.

THE CHALLENGE
Strata Group delivered the structural engineering design for both the retrofit and new build, integrating cultural sensitivity, technical innovation, and sustainability into a cohesive solution. Our approach significantly reduced embodied carbon and construction waste through the retention and upgrade of core structural elements. Efficient buildability was achieved through BIM coordination, modular connections, and close collaboration with both the design and construction team.

THE OUTCOME
Hawke’s Bay Museum Research & Archive Centre is now a future-focused, highly resilient facility that honours the past while enabling the protection and celebration of cultural heritage.