Designers sought to memorialise impact of war on Auckland

Auckland Council is calling for expressions of interest to design a memorial in Auckland Domain that will mark the centenary commemorations of the First World War.

Chair of the WWI Centenary Memorial Working Party, Councillor Mike Lee says the call for designers marks the first significant step towards a new memorial in 2018.

“The vision for this proposed memorial is that it honours not just the fallen, but those generations of Aucklanders affected by the consequences of war.

“The Auckland War Memorial Museum and cenotaph must be one of the most superb war monuments ever built, so rather than embarking on a new memorial; our preference is for something functional and simple.”

It is proposed to locate the memorial on the northern grassy slopes of Auckland Domain and on the museum’s existing central axis.

“It would be integrated into the museum complex to form what is best described as a pedestrian or processional way to enable casual pedestrian and formal ceremonial access to and from Domain Drive, where there will be an entrance way ‘contemplative feature’ connected to the pathway, ” says Cr Lee.

At Anzac Day commemorations this year, Mayor Len Brown pledged council’s commitment to create the memorial, with the help of various grant organisations, to mark centenary WW100 commemorations.

This was backed up with the inclusion of $1 million in the council’s 10 year plan – 2015-2025 as a contribution towards a $3m budget.

Mayor Len Brown says this is not the first time a memorial has been suggested for this site.

“It will broadly complete a scheme envisaged in the 1930s by that generation of Aucklanders most affected by the war, those who built the war memorial museum and cenotaph.

“As the centenary of the end of World War One approaches, Auckland has a unique opportunity to do something special; to realise the original vision for this site and to create a memorial for all those affected by conflict.”

Expressions of interest close on 9 October 2015.

ENDS

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