China Cultural Centre

The China Cultural Centre is the second HMOA project for this well-known central Wellington building, which in the 1930s was a fish factory, in the 1990s a notorious nightclub called The Arena (pictured) and, in 1999, was transformed by HMOA into film production studios and offices for Silverscreen and Oktober (pictured). That project won NZIA awards in 2000 & 2001.

The current project will repurpose the building for the China Cultural Centre, showcasing Chinese culture in New Zealand. As well as a major upgrade of all services, the revamped building will feature function spaces and a library on the ground floor, teaching and exhibition spaces on the first floor and, on the second floor, a cooking demonstration space, offices and a boardroom.

One of the function spaces will feature a wooden sports floor, Reflex M Evolution, the first of its kind installed in New Zealand (pictured during installation), and one of the teaching spaces includes a stage and a pleated wall. The central atrium, which HMOA created for the previous clients, is also a key feature, flooding the building with light. The original smokehouse chimney from the fish factory remains as a link to the building's colourful history. 

The project is due for completion in late 2025.