He Tohu Exhibition

This new exhibition at the National Library in Wellington houses New Zealand’s three most important constitutional documents: 1835 He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni (Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand), 1840 Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) and 1893 Women’s Suffrage Petition (Te Petihana Whakamana Pōti Wahine).

Opened in May 2017, the exhibition aims to improve access to the documents for all New Zealanders, ensure they are preserved for future generations and improve opportunities for sharing information about the documents’ constitutional and cultural significance.

The exhibition includes a document room with modern conservation technology to preserve the iconic documents as well as an interpretive space, which incorporates interactive features and learning areas.

Studio Pacific worked on this project with an extended creative team including cultural consultant Cliff Whiting, exhibition designers Story Inc, interactive designers Click Suite, structural engineers Dunning Thornton and services engineers eCubed.

Click here to view a short video on the He Tohu Document Room and Exhibition

Te whakamātakitaki hou ki te whare a Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa mo ngā taonga ā matou: He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni 1835 me Te Tiriti o Waitangi 1840 me Te Petihana Whakamana Pōti Wahine 1893 hoki.

I tērā wā o Haratua 2017 te hui whakapuare mo whakamātakitaki, e ara pai ana ki ngā taonga mo te iwi katoa, ka waiho iho ka tirotirohanga, hei whiriwhiringa mā ngā uri whakatupu.

Ko whare toanga e rokiroki ana ai ki ngā taonga katoa. Ko te whare whakamāori-a-waha hoki mō te aronga o te taupaepae mo taunekeneke me te akoranga. 

Ko Studio Pacific te kaihoahoanga mo tēnei whakatakanga me ā rātou hoki ko Story Inc, he kaiwhakamātakitaki rāua ko Dunning Thornton he Kaihanganga, rāua ko eCubed he Kaipupuri, rāua ko Cliff Whiting he kaiarahi mō tēnei. 

Pāwhiria nei kia titiro te whakaata

Designed for the Environment

He Tohu exhibition room incorporates several sustainable design features that reflect both environmental consciousness and a commitment to cultural values.

Sustainable features include:

• Locally sourced, sustainable materials were used in the construction and interior design. This helps reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation and supports the local economy.
• The design maximises the use of natural light, reducing the reliance on artificial lighting and minimising energy consumption.
• The exhibition room takes advantage of natural ventilation and passive cooling techniques, minimising the need for mechanical heating or cooling systems.
• The design incorporates elements that are deeply tied to Māori cultural heritage, promoting sustainability not only environmentally but also in terms of cultural preservation and storytelling.
• Energy-efficient lighting and equipment are used throughout the exhibition room, ensuring that operational energy consumption is kept to a minimum.

He Tohu Articles

Historian Jock Phillips' review on the Bay Heritage website

Eye of the Fish review

Idealog's article on He Tohu and preserving the past through design