This building is being constructed as part of the festival village for the 11th Festival of Pacific Arts, which was to be held in the Solomon Islands in July 2012. About 2,500 performers, artists and other cultural practitioners, along with thousands of visitors, were to arrive in the Solomon Islands for the festival. As well as showing and enjoying the diverse arts of the 27 Pacific countries and territories involved, the event was also intended to celebrate the rejuvenation of the Solomons. The festival village was to be the centre of most activities, but the ripple effect of the festival was expected to boost the whole of the Solomons’ society and economy. A New Zealand delegation of more than 100 would attend, and other New Zealanders had earlier headed to the Solomons to assist with festival organisation.