Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the Air New Zealand Flight TE901 plane crash at the base of Mt Erebus on Ross Island in Antarctica. To memorialise the 257 lives lost, the New Zealand Government has commissioned a project to construct a monument in New Zealand.

Manatū Taonga the Ministry for Culture and Heritage are leading this project and are currently calling for expressions of interest from architects, artists, landscape, architects and designers who would like to create a design for the National Erebus Memorial.

The selection process will consist of two stages: a judging panel will shortlist six applicants from the expression of interest stage. In the second stage, those on the shortlist will prepare a more detailed proposal and create concept designs. The jury will select a final design, which will be recommended to the Minister for Arts, Culture, and Heritage for approval.

The judging panel will be chaired by Paul James, Chief Executive of the Department of Internal Affairs. He will be joined on the jury by Brad Coombs, New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects president, Elizabeth Ellis (CNZM JP), urban designer Anna Harley of the Wellington City Council and New Zealand Institute of Architects president Tim Melville.

The site of the memorial will be at Auckland’s Dove-Myer Robinson Park/Taurarua Pā, commonly known as the Parnell Rose Gardens.

Go to the Manatū Taonga website for more information about the National Erebus Memorial, and submit your expression of interest here.