Octa was engaged as Project Director, Project Manager, Design Manager and Strategic Management Consultant for the redevelopment of Toitū Otago Settlers’ Museum. Octa’s role included defining the issues and project scope, all the way to preparing the strategy programme showing the scope of development over the next five years and preparing a funding strategy and options with recommendations.
Octa completed an Issues and Options Study to encompass the development and expansion of the Museum to address eight strategic objectives, including the development of new collections storage facilities, entrance/lobby, galleries and a more coherent exhibition story. The final outcome was a modular development strategy that enabled the continuous operation of the Museum through the complete four-stage redevelopment of the museum with foyer, storage and visitor facilities, within the budget of $38m. The city adopted the report in full.
Octa also managed the internal exhibition fit-out, which included around 52 separate contracts, building a new exhibition infrastructure. Octa’s role included vetting design documentation, preparing tender documentation, coordinating the ROI process, interviewing contractors, preparing tender recommendations, and co-ordinating with the collections team.
The net result was an efficient, seamless coordination between off site and on site works. Competitive tendering strategy also enabled savings to be spent on increasing the scope of exhibition delivery. Octa was involved in the co-ordination of the digital content delivery during redevelopment, establishing multiple local area networks, public Wi-Fi network, and Research Centre content delivery. The project was completed in 2012.
