All Blacks Experience StepUp Haka — All Blacks Experience.

Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland).

Experience first-hand what it takes to make, shape and be an All Black. This highly interactive guided experience gives visitors a unique opportunity to be immersed in the world of our teams in black and to discover more about their legacies of success and their indelible connections with Aotearoa New Zealand.

Location: Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), New Zealand
Budget: ~$14M
Open Date: December 2020

Project background

A partnership formed with Ngāi Tahu Tourism & New Zealand Rugby in response to a closed RFP to deliver a uniquely iconic and world class sport-based world tourism attraction.

The team was challenged to deliver a ground-up design and build for the All Blacks Experience that would attract New Zealand and International tourists. This meant we first needed to create a deep understanding of our potential customers and stakeholders and create a solution that could meet discovered needs within a set of physical and commercial constraints.

The All Blacks Experience is immersive and sensory-rich for visitors. Guides will be central to storytelling throughout the experience, as they act as an authentic conduit between visitors and the All Blacks. Delivery from the guides will interplay with audio-visuals, interactives, graphics, soundscapes, and a small selection of curated objects. They will be capable of adapting their delivery depending on the composition of the groups they are taking through. The overall tone and atmosphere will reflect what New Zealanders are well-known for – humour, humility, fun and energy – with underlying emotional hooks of nostalgia and pride. More serious moments will punctuate the experience, illustrating the respect and reverence shown toward the jersey and the haka. Māori values, knowledge, and protocols will thread through the experience and will be reflected in what visitors see, feel and experience. There will be Māori narratives seamlessly integrated throughout and te reo Māori will be heard as well as seen in written form. The principle of manaakitanga will place the visitor at the centre of the experience in a reciprocal host-visitor relationship, focusing on uplifting mana and respect for all peoples and cultures and ensuring visitors feel anchored and connected to this unique place; Aotearoa New Zealand. The narrative that weaves through the experience relates to the big idea: Making, Shaping and Being All Blacks.