The Whakatāne Museum and Research Centre - Te Whare Taonga ō Taketake has been recognised in the Public Architecture category at this year's NZ Institute of Architects’ Waikato/Bay of Plenty Awards. 

The award was announced on Friday (3 May), with the judges' citation stating that the Museum rebuilding project was "the result of planning, patience and vision, which has seen a previously under-utilised community facility successfully transformed into a well-used research and education centre".

The judges noted that the project was the second stage of a long-term culture and heritage upgrading programme, which began with the development of the Whakatāne Library and Exhibition Centre - Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi, and that the two "excellent community assets" are linked by the use of detailing and the clustering of functions at the street edge.