Entry received from: Hastings District Council
Category: The Beca Award for Placemaking
A place is the sum of its parts - and for Hastings District Council and the community the final part of its entertainment and hospitality precinct was the opening of the earthquake-strengthened and refurbished Municipal Building in 2022.
On its own it is a stunning building which now provides boutique retail and hospitality, a ballroom boasting its original sprung floor, meeting rooms and offices. With its adjoining 'sister' buildings - the opera house, plaza, and a laneway large enough to hold events in its own right, it is an integral part of Toitoi - Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre; hosting full-service conferences, local and international acts, and school performances and balls. In recent times it has been a resource center for the Cyclone Gabrielle recovery. Truly a center for all seasons!
But it is as part of the entertainment and hospitality precinct that it really shines. Surrounded by eateries, galleries and boutique retail, with stunning 'pocket parks' for lunching and outdoor entertainment, outdoor dining areas shaded by trees and permanent sun umbrellas, and enhanced streetscapes - the Municipal Building has come into its own. It is Placemaking that Council and the community can be very proud of!
Thank you to our category sponsor