After several years of working from several different locations, national office staff are preparing to return to Mātauranga House at 33 Bowen Street, Wellington. The building has undergone major strengthening and refurbishment work and is now ready for staff to move back in.

The new Mātauranga House is a safe, modern workplace that exceeds New Zealand building code requirements.

Having our national office teams together in one building for the first time will make it easier for people to work together, share ideas and build stronger connections. It also reduces the need for multiple office leases and help improve long-term efficiency.

Why we vacated Mātauranga House#

An assessment of Mātauranga House found concerns about how the building might perform in a major earthquake. 

Based on the information available at the time, leadership decided that staff would stop working from Mātauranga House from 30 May 2022.

About the work that has been done#

Mātauranga House has undergone major earthquake strengthening work using a technology called 'fluid viscous dampers'. It now achieves a 150% New Building Standard (NBS) rating, and is 4 times more likely to withstand an earthquake.

The project was designed and managed by structural engineers and seismic specialists Beca. Learn more about it on their website.

Strengthening Wellington’s buildings against earthquakes – Beca

Where staff have been working from since 2022#

Staff were initially asked to work from home while a new office location was found. As well as the national office being set up at 1 The Terrace, we also secured office space at 8 Gilmer Terrace. Some staff worked there from September 2022 to September 2025.

When the lease for 8 Gilmer Terrace ended in September 2025, staff moved to offices in the tower and podium buildings at 1 The Terrace, and to Pastoral House at 25 The Terrace.

Cost of the move#

We worked with the Government Property Office (GPO) to secure a long-term lease for Mātauranga House. GPO then worked with the building owner to make sure the building was designed and set up to meet our needs and provide a suitable workplace for staff.

We are investing about $5 million in capital funding and $1 million in operating funding to support the move. This includes relocating staff, equipment, technology and business operations.

The lease for the building has an initial term of 19 years. This gives us a long-term office location that will support our future workplace needs.

What's happening to buildings staff work from now#

We are vacating 1 The Terrace and Pastoral House and the leases will be taken over by the new occupants. 

• 1 The Terrace will be occupied by the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT).
• Staff working on school property at Pastoral House will stay in the building.