On the 4th of July, 1974, Blenheim's new Post Office building officially opened. This replaced a former building in Market Place, the current site of The Forum. In addition to serving as Blenheim's post office, the building also housed other government departments including Lands and Survey.
The building was the only multi-storey building in Blenheim, until the construction of the Barnes Building in Queen Street. As part of the Crown deed of settlement with Rangitane, ownership passed to the local iwi, and the building was renamed as Rangitane House. After ownership passed to Rangitane, the foyer was extensively refurbished, with architectural design provided by Wilkie and Bruce architects, including features celebrating the heritage of the iwi.
The architectural style of the building has resemblance with brutalist architecture.
Characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the bare building materials and structural elements over decorative design. Brutalism is not only an architectural style; it is also a philosophical approach to architectural design, a striving to create simple, honest, and functional buildings that accommodate their purpose, inhabitants, and location.
Brutalist buildings are usually constructed with reoccurring modular elements representing specific functional zones, distinctly articulated and grouped together into a unified whole.
