A Wellington original

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The Oriental Bay Rotunda is a cherished landmark on Te Whanganui-a-Tara’s waterfront. The current structure, which opened in 1937, is a reinforced-concrete bathing pavilion with a band rotunda above, replacing an earlier timber rotunda that was relocated to the site in 1917. It included separate changing rooms and quickly became a social hub for swimmers and concert-goers along the newly formed seawall promenade. By the early 1980s the building was showing its age. In response, the Council added a new roof and second storey to create an enclosed upper floor with a public terrace, while the ground-floor changing rooms were re-purposed as community rooms. The upstairs opened as a restaurant in 1985, cementing the Rotunda’s place as both a hospitality destination and a civic vantage point over the harbour. 

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Our next chapter

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Watson Group has been selected by Wellington City Council to revitalise the Rotunda for its 90th anniversary. The concept revitalises the building as a destination, featuring a bathhouse and day spa on the lower level, a restaurant and bar above, and public access to the rooftop lookout. The design focuses on careful seismic strengthening and heritage restoration, ensuring the Rotunda retains its iconic appearance while meeting modern building and accessibility standards. Preliminary works are scheduled to begin, with completion targeted for 2026.