The Rick Rudd Foundation was established in 2013 as a charitable trust, and in 2014 Rick Rudd generously gifted his building at 8 Bates Street and his collection of studio ceramics for public benefit.
The Foundation’s mission is to preserve and develop this collection and building for the nation, while providing a public amenity — including the collection, library and archives — to educate and inspire both the public and practising potters.
Your donation ensures this vision becomes a long-term reality. By contributing, you help:
Donations can be made directly to the Foundation’s bank account:
Rick Rudd Foundation
Account number: 03 0791 0001615 00
If you require a receipt, please email us at [email protected] with the date, amount, and full name of the donor. Enter your name as the reference.
Your support preserves this remarkable resource for everyone to enjoy – today and for generations to come. Thank you for being part of its future.
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.
