Royal Society of New Zealand - Te Whare Aparangi

The New Zealand Institute, founded in 1867, became the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1933. Many distinguished New Zealand scientists have been presidents of the Society. The Royal Society building was extended in 2012. The new 'black Box' building which includes a conference centre has rocking walls which spring back into position after an earthquake. Studio Pacific Architecture were responsible for the design after winning an open competition in 2007. Engineers,Dunning Thornton, designed the structure of the new building using the pre-cast seismic structural system (PRESSS). The entrance way features an artwork, "Ocean of Light", designed to react to light and sound to produce character and movement. "Volume 4,096, as it’s called, is the third light grid work in the Ocean of Light series devised by Squidsoup, a digital arts group specialising in interactive light works and volumetric visualisations. Volume 4,096 changes colour slow or fast, through light pastels to vivid, dark tones. It also creates light sculptures and can present video images."