Overview
Büro North delivered a comprehensive wayfinding and user experience strategy for Te Tumu – the New Zealand International Convention Centre, in collaboration with Warren and Mahoney, Woods Bagot and Moller Architects. Our approach establishes a seamless, intuitive journey across a vertically complex, world-class events destination.
Spanning over a decade from concept through to completion, our work focused on resolving clarity and legibility across a highly flexible, multi-level environment accommodating more than 4,000 delegates. From arrival through to event immersion, the system supports efficient movement between exhibition, meeting and performance spaces—ensuring a cohesive and stress-free experience for all users.
Grounded in the narratives of whenua (land) and whakapapa (ancestry), the wayfinding strategy is deeply connected to place. Cultural storytelling is embedded throughout the environment, aligning with the building’s architectural expression and the identity gifted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. This integration enriches the visitor journey, creating a meaningful connection between people, culture and the built form.
Our design responds to the building’s urban context, supporting activation of the public laneway and surrounding precinct while managing complex pedestrian flows across multiple entry points. The result is a system that not only enables navigation within the building but strengthens its role as a civic destination within Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
This project exemplifies our commitment to delivering integrated, culturally grounded and operationally robust wayfinding solutions. Te Tumu sets a new benchmark for convention centre experiences—positioning Auckland on the global stage and creating a destination that is both highly functional and deeply resonant.
"The wayfinding and digital signage feels intuitive, like its part of the building reaching out to guide our visitors with care and compassion"
Sky City
