Beacon

This award-winning, circular sculpture in polished stainless steel symbolises and reflects the significant historical achievements of the suffrage movement in New Zealand. It also lights the way for women of today, highlighting contemporary themes of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Beacon plays with light, colour and reflections during both day and night. It has a camellia shape at its centre, with a symbolic violet hue – representing the violet colour that was adopted by suffrage petitioners to represent dignity and self-respect. This colour is continued through into the evening, with a gentle violet colour illuminating the sculpture from dusk until 10pm each night.

Standing at 2.5-metres-high and made from large sheets of stainless steel plate immaculately welded together, Beacon conveys a message of hope. It also celebrates the legacy of Kate Sheppard: "We are tired of having a 'sphere' doled out to us, and of being told that anything outside that sphere is 'unwomanly'. We want to be natural just for a change … we must be ourselves at all risks." - Kate Sheppard

Judge’s comments at Best Design Awards 2020: “A striking statement with embedded symbolism, prominent in the landscape yet understated as the reflective surface’s blends into the environment. A fantastic example of vision executed through fabrication and craftmanship.”