Typically, it appears that demolitions have a extra vivid place in folks’s reminiscences than do heritage conservation success tales. Everybody remembers Aniwaniwa.
Right now, authorities coverage and laws are offering big challenges for heritage. The Nationwide Coverage Assertion on City Growth 2020 encourages city intensification, with little regard for heritage worth, and the Useful resource Administration (Enabling Housing Provide and Different Issues) Modification Act 2021 helps its implementation.
As well as, seismic strengthening deadlines launched with amendments to the Constructing Act in 2016 are nearly upon us. The primary of those is 1 July 2027, as territorial authorities in high-risk seismic areas had been to have recognized doubtlessly earthquake-prone buildings in “precedence” classes (in line with constructing sort, development expertise, use and placement) by 1 January 2020, with house owners then having 7.5 years to undertake the remediation work. The required work is dear for many house owners, prohibitively so for a lot of, and there may be little public funding for it. With out remediation, a constructing, or a a part of a constructing, successfully turns into ‘crimson stickered’. Buildings in smaller cities the place rental incomes are decrease are significantly at danger.
The larger image, nonetheless, is that local weather change can be upon us and, as American architect Carl Elefante wrote in 2007, “The greenest constructing… is the one that’s already constructed”. Retention of present buildings makes finest use of their embodied vitality and is according to the scale back/reuse/recycle ethos. Retention of heritage buildings is additional necessary as a result of they’re valued by communities and people; they contribute to put, reminiscence and other people’s sense of identification.
New Zealanders have been working to save lots of necessary buildings from demolition because the starting of the twentieth century. The architects who labored on early conservation tasks did so intuitively reasonably than with specialist information. The Historic Locations Act 1954 established the nationwide heritage company. Amongst different issues, it constructed up a property portfolio. The preliminary work on buildings owned by the New Zealand Historic Locations Belief (now Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga) was led by Ministry of Works architect John Stacpoole, joined over time by others, together with Chris Cochran from the mid-Nineteen Seventies.
Our architectural conservation sector actually matured within the Nineteen Eighties. The Historic Locations Act 1980 formalised the buildings classification system now referred to as itemizing. Jeremy Salmond and Chris Cochran established the nation’s first personal practices specialising in heritage work, in Auckland and Wellington respectively, that decade. Ian Bowman was the primary New Zealander to finish a grasp’s diploma in architectural conservation, doing so on the College of York in 1986. Central authorities sponsored 5 Māori conservators to finish conservation levels on the College of Canberra between 1986 and 1991. And ICOMOS Aotearoa New Zealand, the New Zealand arm of the Worldwide Council on Monuments and Websites, was shaped in 1987.
The Nineties and past have seen additional legislative change, the publication of key steering paperwork, together with two editions of the ICOMOS New Zealand Constitution for the Conservation of Locations of Cultural Heritage Worth (1993 and 2010), and the growth of the sector extra typically, together with a higher variety of practices specialising in heritage work. A number of of the nation’s giant practices now make use of no less than one conservation architect.
Good heritage outcomes require analysis to know the unique constructing and a dedication to enterprise as little change as is feasible however as a lot as is important to attain the specified finish outcome. Incorporating change — a brand new use, new companies, seismic strengthening, retrofitting for improved environmental efficiency and/or common entry — with out compromising heritage worth shouldn’t be straightforward. The fine-grained choices are sometimes subjective and debatable reasonably than prescriptive or predetermined.
This itinerary presents a variety of tasks which are outstanding in several methods. There are, after all, many extra.
THE ITINERARY
1. 1986–1989, Outdated Synagogue (1884–1885)
19A Princes Avenue, Auckland
Salmond Architect with Marshall Cook dinner
Jeremy Salmond was the primary heritage architect to earn an NZIA Gold Medal, doing so in 2018. His adaptive re-use of Auckland’s outdated Synagogue to function a department of the Nationwide Financial institution was vital within the improvement of his profession in heritage as a result of it moved him past residential work and into conservation within the public and industrial realms. The brand new use was best as a result of it allowed the massive house in the midst of the constructing to stay intact. The challenge earned an NZIA Nationwide Award for conservation in 1990. The constructing is now occupied by the College of Auckland. See John Walsh (ed.), Jeremy Salmond (2018).
2. 1993, Tongariro Nationwide Park
Central North Island
Tribal land of Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Tongariro Nationwide Park, with its spectacular maunga and volcanic plateau, holds a ‘world first’ inside heritage conservation apply; in 1993, it was the primary place to be inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage (WH) Record as an associative cultural panorama. It had been inscribed three years earlier for its pure values however protagonists lobbied for higher consideration to be given to Indigenous understandings of place. On this case, tangata whenua see the maunga and different geographic options as non secular/cultural beings. The WH itemizing standards had been rewritten and, thus, the nationwide park could possibly be inscribed for its cultural values as effectively.
3. 1992–1995, Parliament Home (1911–1922) and Parliamentary Library (1897–1899)
1 Molesworth Avenue, Wellington
Warren and Mahoney with Howard Tanner
Seismicity is a serious subject for our nation, and the bottom isolation of buildings to assist them face up to earthquakes is known to have been invented right here — by engineer Dr Invoice Robinson in Wellington within the Nineteen Seventies. The retrofit base isolation of Parliament Home and the Parliamentary Library within the Nineties was notable as a result of Parliament Home, specifically, has a big footprint and positioning the rubber, metal and lead isolators beneath the present constructing was a serious feat. Apparently, there are 417 of them they usually had been designed to maneuver as much as 300mm in any course throughout an earthquake. Holmes Consulting Group did the engineering.
4. 1994–1996, Outdated Authorities Buildings (1875–1876)
55 Lambton Quay, Wellington
Division of Conservation and Ian Bowman
This challenge exemplifies the dilemmas confronted in conservation apply. Ought to reproduction chimney pots have been launched, on condition that the originals had been eliminated years earlier and the brand new ones weren’t practical? Ought to metal have been used to strengthen timber staircases in a constructing whose predominant declare to fame is that it is among the largest timber buildings on the earth? These are questions David Kernohan requested of scholars when instructing heritage conservation on the Wellington Faculty of Structure within the Nineties. There have been no proper solutions, simply evolving factors of view and the potential for college kids to make argument.
5. 2003–ongoing, Futuna Chapel (1958–1961)
67 Futuna Shut, Karori, Wellington
Varied, together with Chris Cochran, Nick Bevin, Peter Parkes and Lianne Cox
How far would you go to save lots of your favorite constructing from demolition? A gaggle in Wellington went admirably far to save lots of John Scott’s most celebrated work; they purchased it. Futuna Chapel got here near demolition from 2000 when the retreat centre of which it was half was offered to builders wanting to exchange the buildings with housing. Locals campaigned for the retention of the chapel and, in the end, shaped the Associates of Futuna Charitable Belief to purchase it in 2003. Since then, they’ve undertaken conservation work incrementally. See Nick Bevin and Gregory O’Brien, Futuna: Lifetime of a Constructing (2016).
6. 2004–ongoing, Britomart Precinct (1885–ongoing)
Customs, Quay and Queen Streets, and Britomart Place, Auckland. Varied, together with Salmond Reed Architects and Cheshire Architects
Comprising 9 metropolis blocks and developed by Cooper and Firm, Britomart is New Zealand’s largest city regeneration challenge with a heritage focus. It might simply have been very totally different. Proposals from the Nineteen Eighties and ’90s confirmed a lot demolition and new high-rises. Then the Auckland Metropolis Council had a change of coronary heart and commissioned Salmond Reed to arrange conservation plans for 18 heritage buildings. New buildings have been developed across the rigorously revitalised outdated. It’s a challenge to be celebrated. See Pleasure Park’s PhD (College of Auckland, 2022) and the Britomart web site (britomart.org).
7. 2003–2009, The Pah (1877–1879)
72 Hillsborough Street, Auckland
Matthews & Matthews Architects
The Pah is a big Nineteenth-century home that had had institutional use earlier than it was bought by the Auckland Metropolis Council in 2002 for re-use as an artwork gallery. Within the new Stubbs quantity (see ‘Sources’), Robin Byron praises the talent with which Matthews & Matthews fitted a number of new companies into the outdated constructing, together with strengthening, air con, safety and a fireplace safety system, largely tucked in behind outdated oak dados, parquet flooring and plastered ceilings. Retractable partitions elevated flexibility and the backyard was returned to an earlier design. The challenge earned an NZIA Native Award in 2010.
8. 2011, Mataatua Wharenui (1872–1875)
105 Muriwai Drive, Whakatāne
Te Hau o Rangi Tutua (grasp carver)
The big Ngāti Awa wharenui Mataatua is broadly travelled. It was taken by central authorities in 1879 and proven at worldwide exhibitions in Sydney, Melbourne and London earlier than returning in 1925 — to not Whakatāne however to Dunedin for the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition — and was then lodged within the Otago Museum. Ngāti Awa had pressed for its return for years. This was lastly confirmed via the Waitangi settlement course of in 1996, and realised in 2011. The return house is inspiring. See Hirini Mead et al., Mataatua Wharenui (2017). In 2023, Mataatua was listed as a wahi tupuna/tipuna.
9. 2000–2015, Toko Toru Tapu Church (1913)
73 Whakato Street, Manutuke
Architects 44
The conservation of this vital Māori church has been described as “a labour of affection” for Architects 44’s James Blackburne, who led the challenge throughout a 16-year interval. A Gothic Revival exterior opens to a Māori inside, with whakairo (carved panels) on the partitions. Discreet strengthening, devised by Spencer Holmes, was achieved with fibreglass bars, made regionally in Gisborne, inserted behind the restored whakairo. The challenge included repainting, based mostly on paint scrapes to find out unique colors, re-roofing utilizing diamond-shaped pressed metallic tiles, and the reinstatement of the bell tower. It earned an NZIA Nationwide Award in 2016.
10. 2015–current, The Arts Centre (1877–1923)
2 Worcester Boulevard, Christchurch
Warren and Mahoney and DPA Architects
The Arts Centre, shaped within the Fifties, has lengthy occupied the buildings constructed for Canterbury College Faculty and neighbouring secondary faculties. Most of them suffered in depth injury within the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010–2011. In a metropolis as soon as identified for its Gothic Revival masonry heritage, every survivor is now valued much more than it was beforehand. By 2022, two-thirds of The Arts Centre advanced had been strengthened, repaired and reopened. Particular person tasks have earned a number of awards, amongst them the Nice Corridor and Clock Tower, which earned a Benefit within the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2017.
11. 2014–2018, Nelson Faculty of Music (1895–1901)
48 Nile Avenue, Nelson
Irving Smith Architects and Ian Bowman
Inside this brick constructing is an attractive auditorium with a barrel-vaulted ceiling and internationally famend acoustics. Additionally incomes worldwide acclaim was the strengthening, restore and restoration challenge, with a Distinction on the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation and choice as a finalist within the World Structure Competition (small structure class), together with an NZIA Native Award, all in 2019. Signalling change is the brand new entry and lobby between the outdated buildings, recessed and clearly up to date with a white awning and glass frontage. See Aaron Betsky (ed.), Unfinished & Far Far Away (2023).
12. 2015–2019, Christchurch City Corridor (1966–1972)
86 Kilmore Avenue, Christchurch
Warren and Mahoney
That trendy buildings can have heritage worth is more and more accepted nevertheless it nonetheless took a vocal marketing campaign, led by foyer group Hold Our City Corridor, to persuade the Christchurch Metropolis Council that town’s City Corridor warranted restore and refurbishment after the Canterbury earthquakes. Finally, Council accepted it, with web site remediation, relevelling, and new foundations and flooring all wanted. See Ian Lochhead (ed.), The Christchurch City Corridor 1965–2019 (2019). Younger Architects’ restore and refurbishment of Miles Warren’s Dorset Avenue Flats (1956–1957) are additionally great. Each tasks earned NZIA Nationwide Awards, in 2021 and 2023 respectively.
13. 2016–2020, Whare Koa Māngere Group Centre (Nineteen Twenties)
141 Robertson Street, Māngere, Auckland
Burgess Treep & Knight Architects
Conservation tasks are available in all shapes, sizes and budgets. Whare Koa is an Auckland Council group home for Māori and Pacific teams. It appears to be like like a bungalow and the identify interprets as ‘Completely happy Home’. The outside color was restored first, sponsored by PPG Industries New Zealand in 2016, adopted by inside refurbishment, the place color is to the fore — together with pink, orange and yellow — guaranteeing a lot bang for buck. The challenge exhibits that architects can have enjoyable with heritage, significantly when the design methods assist group aspirations. This one earned NZIA Native Awards for Heritage and Color in 2021.
14. 2021–2023, Dunedin Railway Station (1905–1906)
Anzac Avenue, Dunedin
Salmond Reed Architects
The George Alexander Troup-designed Railway Station, accomplished in 1906, is considered one of Dunedin’s most important and admired buildings. The conservation challenge was led by Salmond Reed’s Phillip Hartley, working with a staff of specialists together with stonemasons and metallic fabricators. It was primarily a restore challenge, which means as a lot of the outdated cloth as attainable was stored and repaired, and solely that which was past restore was changed. This strategy was utilized for the stone partitions, Marseille tiled roof and copper-clad cupolas: conservation at its finest. A YouTube video with these concerned discussing the challenge is value looking out out.
OTHER ADDRESSES
As anticipated, the properties owned and/ or managed by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga exemplify bestpractice conservation work. Favourites embody:
Pompallier
5 The Strand, Russell
Kerikeri Mission Home
218 Kerikeri Street, Kerikeri
Stone Retailer
248 Kerikeri Street, Kerikeri (finest store)
Māngungu Mission Home
107 Motukiore Street, Māngungu
Alberton
100 Mount Albert Street, Mount Albert, Auckland
Highwic
40 Gillies Avenue, Epsom, Auckland
Antrim Home
63 Boulcott Avenue, Wellington
Outdated St Paul’s
34 Mulgrave Avenue, Thorndon, Wellington
Fyffe Home
Avoca Level, Kaikōura
Timeball Station
2 Reserve Terrace, Lyttelton
Totara Property
Alma-Maheno Street (SH1), Totara, close to Oamaru (finest Devonshire tea)
For extra on nice home museums, see Sebastian Clarke’s Itinerary in Structure NZ, Jan/Feb 2022, pp. 87–89.
SOURCES
This itinerary was knowledgeable by analysis carried out for the just lately printed ebook, Architectural Conservation in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands: Nationwide Experiences and Observe, written with John H. Stubbs, William Chapman, Ross King and one other 60 contributors, and printed by Routledge. For info, see Routledge’s web site.
It’s the fourth in a global collection of books led by Stubbs, comes nearly 25 years after Alexander Trapeznik’s nonetheless very helpful Widespread Floor?: Heritage and Public Locations in New Zealand (Dunedin: College of Otago Press, 2000) and features a bibliography of sources on historic preservation in New Zealand (pp. 325–327). Notable within the bibliography is the rising variety of PhD theses on heritage conservation matters.
For info on the person locations within the itinerary, the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga web site is a wonderful start line, and the NZIA’s rising on-line database of native and nationwide awards can be more and more precious.
The Itinerary collection is supported by Dulux Colors of New Zealand. Dulux Color Specialist Davina Harper has chosen a Colors of New Zealand palette based mostly on this itinerary. See the total vary and order color samples right here.