Civic

Te Hēnui Chapel is a multi-use chapel and events venue set within a distinctive parkland environment, designed to work carefully with existing site infrastructure to achieve both economy and architectural clarity. Existing sheds were retained and repurposed to accommodate lounge and service spaces, opened up with extensive glazing to a leafy green lane, strengthening the connection between interior spaces and the surrounding landscape.

In contrast, the main chapel and event space is conceived as a quiet, introspective volume. Solid walls create a sense of enclosure and focus, while a lofty timber acoustic ceiling appears to float above a continuous band of ribbon windows. This creates a symbolic 360-degree connection to the sky, free from terrestrial distraction. Completing a five-year master plan for the site, Te Hēnui Chapel brings cohesion, meaning, and a sense of calm resolution to its park setting.