Michael Fowler Centre

The Michael Fowler Centre is a concert hall and convention centre in Wellington, New Zealand. It was constructed on reclaimed land next to Civic Square, and is the pre-eminent concert site in central Wellington.Commissioned in 1975, building began in 1980; the centre officially opened on September 16, 1983. It was designed by Miles Warren and Maurice Mahoney of Warren and Mahoney, with acoustic assistance from Professor A. Harold Marshall, formerly the Head of Auckland University's Acoustics Research Centre. It is named after the primary promoter of its construction, Sir Michael Fowler, at the time the mayor of Wellington. The auditorium seats 2210 people during a concert, and 1035 during a classroom type event.The centre is used by international and local acts, conferences, and summits; it is also the home of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and ARISE Church.The venue is now part of the Venues Wellington group of venues, managed by the Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency.