HEART OF THE CITY

Before settling in Wellington as the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s artistic director, Patricia Barker and her husband Michael Auer had only spent three days on a whistle-stop tour of the country as a quick break from their company’s tour of Australia in 1979. Between then and now, Patricia has been the artistic director of the Grand Rapids Ballet and been a principal dancer. Aside from the RNZB keeping her busy, she’s undertaken a two-year makeover of her inner-city Wellington apartment.

We live in the heart of Wellington, in Cuba Mall. We are part owners of a historical building that, collectively, we are preserving by earthquake strengthening to ensure its survival for future generations. We occupy