The Mau Museum (Design Proposal)
A University of Auckland studio project under Ar. Lama Tone and Senior Lec. Bill McKay. The design commemorates Samoa’s Mau Movement for independence, combining the restoration of the Old German Court House with a new pavilion inspired by Samoan fale architecture.
2014
Archtiectural Concept Design
The Mau Museum
University of Auckland Studio Project – Samoa, 2014
Guided by Senior Lecturer Lama Tone and Senior Lecturer Bill McKay
The Mau Movement was the leading force in Samoa’s long struggle for independence, resisting first German and later New Zealand rule. Its most significant protest, on 28 December 1929—Black Saturday—saw high chief Tupua Tamasese and eleven Mau members shot outside the Old German Court House in Apia. Their sacrifice became a turning point in Samoa’s eventual independence in 1962.
This studio project, conducted under the guidance of Prof. Lama Tone and Bill McKay at the University of Auckland, set out to design a museum that would honor their bravery while reconnecting Samoans with their own history. Unlike the R.L. Stevenson Museum, which primarily serves tourism, the Mau Museum was envisioned as a memorial first for Samoans themselves.
Architecture & Context
Samoan architecture is typified by the fale—a wall-less hut where structural lashings and carved woodwork create intricate patterns. This balance of openness and shelter deeply influenced the design. During our 7-day site visit in 2014, we studied Samoa’s vibrant markets, communal lifestyle, and the tension between modern development and traditional heritage. Visiting the abandoned Mau head office reaffirmed the need for a dedicated museum that Samoans could claim as their own.
Design Proposal
The project centered on the Old German Court House, a 19th-century structure that has witnessed many pivotal moments in Samoan history. Instead of demolishing it, I proposed its restoration as gallery space, paired with a new Mau Pavilion that would serve as a symbolic landmark.
The pavilion, facing the Pacific Ocean on the old harbor, was inspired by the fale’s dual qualities of openness and protection. Its carved wooden façade echoes Samoan tattoo motifs and wood-carving traditions, creating dynamic patterns of light and shadow. Raised five meters above ground, the pavilion offers sweeping views and aligns with sacred Mt. Vaea.
An underground walkway links the pavilion to the restored Court House. Beyond avoiding disruption to Beach Road, the passage is symbolic—it crosses the site where the Mau leaders fell. In Samoan tradition, ancestors rest close to the home; walking this path allows visitors to encounter memory in the rhythm of everyday movement.
Legacy
The Mau Museum design demonstrates how restoration and innovation can coexist. The Old German Court House preserves history, while the Mau Pavilion—with its distinctive form and cultural symbolism—offers Samoans a space of remembrance and national pride.
