US Marines Memorial Paekākāriki

Remembering the US Marines in Paekākāriki

I had the pleasure of working on the design and creation of this outdoor gallery. It was opened in November 2022 at Queen Elizabeth Park, Paekākāriki to commemorate the encampment of US Armed forces here from 1942-44.

The concept of the outdoor gallery was important to me as it would allow people to view the interpretive panels in a leisurely way. Equally important was the need to blend with the natural environment while telling a story for local community and visitors alike to enjoy. The base design was a simple and elegant corten steel structure set on a curve along the treeline with a corten steel cutout name panel.

One of the best parts of the design for me is the beautifully carved po to one side, acknowledging tangata whenua, the people who were here before.