Docomomo

The Architectural Centre Designs a Future for the Gordon Wilson Flats and the McLean Flats

JMG — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 20:33:08 +0000

The Architectural Centre Inc., Wellington, has developed a design for the strengthening and refurbishment of Wellington’s Gordon Wilson Flats (1954-59), which Victoria University of Wellington has allowed to deteriorate while leaving it vacant and which it intends to demolish, just as soon as it is given consent to do so. The government’s Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Bill has been introduce to enable the demolition, by facilitating the building’s descheduling. The Architectural Centre’s design retains 80 percent of the building’s concrete structure and they calculate that it would save ca. 92 percent of the carbon compared with demolition and building anew. The retention and adaptation of existing buildings is essential in efforts to mitigate climate change, given the embodied energy contained in the existing materials combined with the carbon footprint of new replacement buildings. DOCOMOMO New Zealand commends the Architectural Centre on its initiative and joins with them in urging Victoria University to reconsider its plans.

Architect Geoff Glynan to talk about his work on the Former CIT Campus, Heretaunga

JMG — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 20:06:50 +0000

DOCOMOMO NZ is partnering with the University of Auckland’s Architecture and Planning History and Theory Research Hub to host a Zoom talk by architect Geoff Glynan of Architecture HDT, who led the adaptive reuse of Haughton & Mair’s CIT Campus, Heretaunga (1965-74), for the NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport (NZCIS) (2016-25). Geoff will discuss the aims and objectives behind the project and some of the complexities encountered in producing what Heritage New Zealand magazine recently described as “one of the largest and most impressive examples of adaptive reuse in the country.”

Details: Tuesday 12 August 2025, 12.00 noon-1.00 p.m. in Zoom.

Zoom details have been circulated to members.

Dunedin City Council Schedules More Modern Buildings

JMG — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 01:18:02 +0000

Congratulations to the Dunedin City Council for its decisions to add an increased number of modern buildings to its district plan heritage schedule. Among them are the Archway Lecture Theatres at the University of Otago, the Cargill Court Apartments, the Church of the Holy Name, the Hercus Building, the Former Truby King Harris Hospital, the Former Mosgiel Knitwear House and the Former Green Island Civic Centre. We need the best of our modern buildings to be scheduled, to give them the best chance of survival long-term. Unfortunately the University of Otago still wishes to demolish the Archway Lecture Theatres and has already appealed the scheduling decision to the Environment Court.

Terrible News Re. Gordon Wilson Flats and Archway Theatres

JMG — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 22:11:19 +0000

A legislative amendment passed by the National-led coalition government to make way for the demolition of a single heritage building – Wellington’s Gordon Wilson Flats (1954-59) – is a national disgrace. Similarly, Victoria University of Wellington’s determination to demolish a large concrete building, but particularly a block of flats during a housing crisis, is very problematic. The heritage value of the Gordon Wilson Flats has been considered and confirmed by experts in the Environment Court, but a bunch of people who know little about heritage value think it is fine to ignore their conclusions. We live in worrying times.

Chris Bishop’s announcement about this amendment to the Resource Management Act has triggered much commentary on just how problematic it is. See:

- Architect Ken Davis on the ZB network here;

- Academic and urban issues commentator Bill McKay on RNZ National here; and

- Heritage architect and PhD candidate Joanna Theodore on Architecture Now here.

All emphasise the significant social history of the Gordon Wilson Flats, the huge environmental (carbon) impact of demolition, and the potential that this particular building has to be adapted for reuse. For the sake of the environment and climate change, we as a country need to be more active in embracing adaptive reuse rather than continually thinking it is ok to throw away disused old buildings.

It’s happening in Dunedin, too, where the University of Otago is wanting to demolish the Ted McCoy-designed Archway Lecture Theatres, a sculptural piece of Brutalist design with rich concrete textures. If kept, this building would surely be loved by future generations in the way that so many people love Napier’s Art Deco architecture today. See:

- Academic Christine McCarthy on RNZ National here.

What a waste.

Gordon Wilson Flats, Wellington (1954-59)

Demolition of Founders Theatre, Hamilton

JMG — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 02:15:28 +0000

New Zealand continues to lose recognised modern heritage buildings at the rate of about one per year. This year’s victim is the Founders Theatre, Hamilton (1961-63). It was designed by Aubrey de Lisle, of Leigh De Lisle and Fraser, and earned an NZIA Merit Award in 1964, the year in which Hamilton celebrated its centenary. It effectively functioned as the city’s town hall. Its civic value was enhanced with the installation of a Ralph Hotere mural in 1973. It closed in 2016 due to seismic concerns and was demolished in June-July 2024. It will be replaced by an outdoor gathering space. Thanks to Laura Kellaway for the photo.

WCC Shock Move to Deschedule Heritage Buildings

JMG — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 02:17:30 +0000

DOCOMOMO New Zealand was shocked by the Wellington City Council’s vote on 14 March 2024 to remove multiple heritage buildings from its district plan schedule. The buildings proposed for descheduling are mostly modern. The move showed that New Zealand politicians remain ignorant of the heritage values of the modern, even though the broader issue of modern heritage has been internationally recognised since the 1980s.

The modern buildings proposed for descheduling were:

- Ministry of Works, Gordon Wilson Flats, The Terrace (1954-59). The scheduling of the Gordon Wilson Flats was heard and confirmed in the Environment Court in 2017, and the building was listed as a Category 1 historic place by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga in 2021. It is owned by Victoria University of Wellington, which has been wanting to demolish it for years now.

- Ernst Plischke, Kahn House, Ngaio (1941-42). This house was included on the original DOCOMOMO New Zealand Top 20 in 2000 and was listed Category 1 by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga in 2005.

- Edmund Anscombe, Olympus Apartments, 280 Oriental Parade (1934-39). Anscombe was responsible for the best of Wellington’s Streamlined Moderne apartment buildings.

- Structon Group Architects, Wharenui Apartments, 274 Oriental Parade (1957-60). A high-rise apartment building from the 1950s, and by all accounts a great place to live.

- Francis H. Swan and William Gray Young, Robert Stout Building, Victoria University of Wellington, 21 Kelburn Parade (1937-38). It’s tucked in behind the Hunter Building, and named for the one time Premier and Chief Justice of New Zealand, who is also identified as the founder of Victoria University.

Perhaps most surprising among the current buildings proposed for descheduling was Frederick de Jersey Clere’s Star of the Sea Chapel, Stella Maris Retreat Centre, Seatoun, Wellington (1923-25). This is not a modern building but a Gothic Revival chapel – the kind of heritage that members of the public find much easier to appreciate. It was bought by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh in 2007 and subsequently strengthened and refurbished. It is an important part of the Star of the Sea Historic Area, Heritage New Zealand’s first listed historic area.

For the full list of buildings proposed for descheduling, see: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/14-03-2024/live-updates-wellington-city-council-votes-on-the-district-plan.

All it would have taken for these proposals to be confirmed was ministerial approval. Happily on this occasion Chris Bishop chose to listen to the Council planners, who did not support the proposal. He wanted to see evidence, and councillors had not provided any.

Demolition of the Otago Harbour Board Building

JMG — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 20:15:49 +0000

Very sad to read in the Otago Daily Times (2 November 2023) that the Otago Harbour Board Building in Port Chalmers, designed by Mason & Wales Architects and built in 1980, is being demolished. It was notable for its abstract geometric design, clad with mirror glass – or more specifically, Reflactafloat reflective solar control glass. The cladding system was newsworthy at the time of completion, with a period newspaper recording that it was double-glazing, combining 6 mm glass with an 80 mm air gap, for sound insulation and thermal comfort. The glass also reflected the historic Port Chalmers context. The Harbour Board building earned local and national architecture awards in 1981, and a local Enduring Award for Architecture in 2021.

Photo courtesy of Mason & Wales Architects.

What a waste.

DOCOMOMO NZ AGM: 21 November 2023

JMG — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 21:11:23 +0000

Join us at 4 p.m. on Tuesday 21 November for the 2023 AGM of DOCOMOMO New Zealand. The meeting will be held in Zoom to ensure that everyone can attend. The Zoom link has been circulated to members and interested others.

Architect Greg Young to talk about his work on the Dorset St Flats

JMG — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 22:34:30 +0000

DOCOMOMO NZ is partnering with the University of Auckland’s Architecture and Planning History and Theory Research Hub to host a Zoom talk by architect Greg Young, who has led the conservation of Miles Warren’s Dorset Street Flats in Christchurch (1956-57), following damage sustained in the Canterbury earthquake sequence (2010-11). Greg will discuss the process of taking the badly damaged building through to a revitalised modern masterpiece.

Details: Wednesday 13 September, 12.30-1.30 p.m. in Zoom.

Zoom details have been circulated to members.

Miles Warren, Dorset Street Flats (1956-57). Photo by Julia Gatley.

2023-2024 Membership Forms Now Available

JMG — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 05:17:50 +0000

Membership forms for 2023 and 2024 are now available as follows:

Click HERE for the 2023-24_DOCOMOMO_NZ_individual membership form

Click HERE for the 2023-24_DOCOMOMO_NZ_organisational form

Click HERE for the 2024_DOCOMOMO_international_membership form