23 Wellington Old St Paul's NZ Architectural restoration. © PS
Copyright PS
Old St Paul’s, Mulgrave St. Wellington, New Zealand. Restoration of this building for public won national awards. Still the most visited historic building in New Zealand. Ref Restoring Old St Paul’s; ArchNZ July/August 1990, etc. PS
St Paul’s was first occupied in 1868. The story of this pro-cathedral was interwoven with that of New Zealand during its early years of organised settlement. In the following decades the building was expanded in carefully matching sympathy. This not only doubled its capacity, but blended a creative organic spirit ---- always sensitive to the whole as an architectural concept. The building continued to play an important part in the life of Wellington until 1964. By this time a new cathedral was ready for use.
In 1966, after a century of the building’s loved use, Government decided to buy it as a national property thereby saving it from demolition. Despite the deteriorated condition, to enter the historic interior remained a most atmospheric experience. The building was designed to lead up to a strong climax in the modelling of the *crossing* and sanctuary. Without buttresses, the asymmetrically added aisles and transepts stiffen the structure laterally. Its feeling remained one of gentle peace with the humanity of mellowed timber. Though the style is influenced by Gothic-revival, Old St Paul’s has always exhibited a local spirit in its warm use of wood, human scale, and the directness of its framed structure. The timbers are wrought to give a lightness in appearance and the roofs are supported on open trusses to provide a spatial air. “..build nothing for mere look. ..Have every beam and rafter seen...” --- It was this spirit which is preserved in the architecture.
The inspiring building had survived a century of Wellington’s earthquakes and winds. When we started restoration, a wide range of future uses were being proposed. We thus had the problem of restoring a badly deteriorated 19thC building, retaining its particularly fine form and atmosphere, while at the same time rendering it suitable for the variety of uses required.......more.............>
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Click diagonal arrows upper-right; then press F11 Fullscreen.
23 Wellington Old St Paul's NZ Architectural restoration. © PS
Copyright PS
Old St Paul’s, Mulgrave St. Wellington, New Zealand. Restoration of this building for public won national awards. Still the most visited historic building in New Zealand. Ref Restoring Old St Paul’s; ArchNZ July/August 1990, etc. PS
St Paul’s was first occupied in 1868. The story of this pro-cathedral was interwoven with that of New Zealand during its early years of organised settlement. In the following decades the building was expanded in carefully matching sympathy. This not only doubled its capacity, but blended a creative organic spirit ---- always sensitive to the whole as an architectural concept. The building continued to play an important part in the life of Wellington until 1964. By this time a new cathedral was ready for use.
In 1966, after a century of the building’s loved use, Government decided to buy it as a national property thereby saving it from demolition. Despite the deteriorated condition, to enter the historic interior remained a most atmospheric experience. The building was designed to lead up to a strong climax in the modelling of the *crossing* and sanctuary. Without buttresses, the asymmetrically added aisles and transepts stiffen the structure laterally. Its feeling remained one of gentle peace with the humanity of mellowed timber. Though the style is influenced by Gothic-revival, Old St Paul’s has always exhibited a local spirit in its warm use of wood, human scale, and the directness of its framed structure. The timbers are wrought to give a lightness in appearance and the roofs are supported on open trusses to provide a spatial air. “..build nothing for mere look. ..Have every beam and rafter seen...” --- It was this spirit which is preserved in the architecture.
The inspiring building had survived a century of Wellington’s earthquakes and winds. When we started restoration, a wide range of future uses were being proposed. We thus had the problem of restoring a badly deteriorated 19thC building, retaining its particularly fine form and atmosphere, while at the same time rendering it suitable for the variety of uses required.......more.............>
Enlarge
Click diagonal arrows upper-right; then press F11 Fullscreen.