Fans of the late Austrian-born architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser will instantly recognise his influence in this colourful, irregularly shaped, one-room shed. The name means 'the seed' and this building has been planted here to represent the Hundertwasser Art Centre that is scheduled to be completed in 2020 on a site nearby.
Hundertwasser designed the building in 1993, but the decision to go ahead with the $21 million project was only confirmed after a district-wide referendum in 2015. When completed it will be the only major Hundertwasser building in the southern hemisphere – not withstanding the Kawakawa Public Toilets – and one of only around 30 in the world. It's expected to display original Hundertwasser artworks on loan from Vienna, along with a gallery devoted exclusively to contemporary Māori art.
