The exterior columns are made of solid brick and were not originally reinforced, but now have tensioned steel rods through the centre.
When the building shakes, they will move on low friction slider plates, the same as the rest of the building.
What you don't see…
The exterior walls of the main Town Hall will be returned to their original state, and new modern walls installed on the ends of the West Hall, where the scaffold is in the left of this photo.
The blue stone at the base of the building (painted grey in the 1990s) will be placed back onto the concrete. We think it came from a quarry in Melbourne, brought to Wellington as ballast in a ship.
Heritage guidance is that everything from the building should stay on site. One idea is to use the foundation stones displaced by the base isolators in the landscaping outside the Town Hall. Other heritage items will be reused, retained or disposed of as a last resort.
What about the world-famous acoustics?
The Town Hall's auditorium is reputed to be in the world’s Top 10 venues for symphonic performances because of its acoustic qualities. There is a bit of debate about this, but we know that it has really good acoustics because of its classic shoe box design and the many outstanding concerts and recordings produced in the auditorium over the years.
Preserving the acoustics is critical in the redevelopment. In addition to making sure the auditorium’s geometry is undisturbed, shielding has been added to the roof to block outside noise from traffic, sirens and the nearby helipad, and the old high-pressure mechanical air in the ceiling has been replaced.
The new aircon uses a displacement ventilation system which introduces high-volume, low-pressure air, which should be better and quieter during performances.
When it re-opens, the Town Hall will be a world-class musical and recording venue with improved rehearsal and performance space.
It will be a base for civic and community events and be part of a centre of musical excellence for NZSO and Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington’s New Zealand School of Music—Te Kōkī.
The redeveloped, much-loved Wellington Town Hall, with its wonderful auditorium and world-class acoustics, will be at the heart of the national music centre.
The NZSO and Te KōKī and many of the Council’s civic activities will co-locate across the building. This will bring students, professional musicians and other industry creatives back into the heart of Wellington to provide some of the best performance and education experiences in the world.