MetService Tāwhiri-Mātea Relocation (2025)
When MetService relocated to its new home on Molesworth Street in Wellington, Human Dynamo managed the removal, storage, relocation and reinstallation of Tāwhiri-Mātea, an important taonga by renowned Māori artist Dr Cliff Whiting. At around 300kg and more than 3.6 metres wide, moving the work required careful planning, in-house engineering and a bespoke handling and storage system to keep both the artwork and people working around it safe throughout the project.
Caring for significant work
Creative work doesn’t always stay where it was first installed. Buildings change, organisations move, and significant artworks sometimes need to make the journey with them.
When MetService moved to its new building on Molesworth Street, Human Dynamo was entrusted with relocating Tāwhiri-Mātea by renowned Māori artist Dr Cliff Whiting (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui).
Commissioned by the New Zealand Meteorological Service in the 1980s, the mixed-media work depicts Tāwhiri-Mātea wrestling with his children, the winds and weather, and had been part of MetService for decades.
At almost two metres high and more than 3.6 metres wide, this was no straightforward move. Its weight was unknown before work began and it was mounted high in the lobby of MetService’s existing building. From the moment it came off the wall to the moment it was secured in its new home, the work needed to remain fully supported and stable.
Our team developed the entire relocation methodology, using chain blocks and hoists to safely lower and handle the work, and designed and fabricated a bespoke crate and mobile dolly system. This allowed the artwork to be safely stored on the active construction site for around six months and moved around the site when necessary.
With health and safety a critical consideration, Human Dynamo carried out the engineering and seismic analysis of the crate and movement system in-house, ensuring the 300kg artwork remained secure and didn't present a risk to people working around it.
Once its new home was ready, we completed the final move and installation, bringing Tāwhiri-Mātea safely into MetService's next chapter.
Image credit: Magdalena Podbielkowska Bisley
