Ravenscar House
Project Overview
| Sector: | Commercial |
| Location: | New Zealand – South Island |
| Year Completed: | 2021 |
Project Features
- Contemporary house museum
- 520 sqm single storey facility
- Gallery spaces (four) linked by glazed central terrace
- 24 hour, seven days per week operation
- Critical temperature and humidity control requirements
- VAV system served by single AHU
- Air cooled chiller and heat pump
Project Details
$16 million contemporary museum displays privately-owned art collection
Benmax is pleased to have partnered with HRS Construction to deliver the new $16 million contemporary house museum, Ravenscar House, located in central Christchurch. Designed as a grand residence, the building will be managed by the Canterbury Museum and will display the Ravenscar Collections, one of New Zealand’s most important privately-owned art collections.
Built on a base-isolated platform, the 520 sqm single storey building comprises of four gallery spaces linked by a glazed central terrace and will display a range of paintings, artworks and objects. To ensure the items on display are not damaged and do not deteriorate, the buildings air conditioning systems will be required to operate 24 hours a day, seven days per week to maintain stable temperature and humidity levels, and to manage CO2 levels within gallery spaces in times of high occupancy.
Benmax is accustomed to delivering projects with strict temperature control requirements having successfully completed numerous gallery projects, both large scale constructions and refurbishments to existing gallery spaces, most notably at the National Gallery of Australia located in Canberra, Australia.
Work began on Ravenscar House in February 2019 and with construction now complete was handed over to the client in July 2021. The museum officially opened to the public in early November 2021.
Images courtesy of Patterson Associates and Canterbury Museum.
