Rick sold his home of fifteen years and bought the building to house the Museum in 2014. He has given the building and his collection of studio ceramics to the Foundation, in the hope that it will be secured for the nation in perpetuity.
The building grabbed Rick’s attention because of its brutalist architecture. It has a variety of room sizes on two floors which allows for displaying works in separate areas. It was built in two stages, the ground floor in 1964 (Architect: Don McCallum) and the first floor added in 1978/79 (Architect: Bruce Dixon). During the building of the first floor, staff continued to work in the ground floor offices but had to vacate to the carpark when large concrete panels were being installed on the first floor. The original ground floor flat roof was retained and is now encased between the old ground floor ceilings and the underside of the precast concrete first floor. Over the intervening years the internal spaces have been altered several times, but its unique style remains. Each room has its own aspect filled with light, as it was designed for engineers and valuers which required natural light for architectural drawing.
The two-storey building received a New Zealand Institute of Architects design award. Previously named Moutoa Chambers, it has been renamed Munford House in recognition of the family name of Rick Rudd’s mother.
The first floor under construction.
The building before purchase in 2014.
The Museum today.
