Old Government Building, Christchurch

Last updated

Old Government Building
The Old Government Building Christchurch..jpg
Old Government Building in 2015
Old Government Building, Christchurch
General information
Architectural style Italian High Renaissance palazzo
Location Christchurch Central City
Address98 Worcester St
Town or cityChristchurch
CountryNew Zealand
Coordinates 43°31′52″S172°38′17″E / 43.53106°S 172.638075°E / -43.53106; 172.638075
Construction started1910
Completed1913
Design and construction
Architect(s) Joseph Maddison
Awards and prizesCanterbury Heritage Awards – Seismic category winner in 2012 and Built Heritage Award winner in 2010
Designated5 April 1984
Reference no.301

The Old Government Building is a heritage building in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was designed by Joseph Maddison in 1909 for use by government departments. [1] It is a Category I heritage building listed with Heritage New Zealand.

History

The building was designed to centralise various government departments in Christchurch that had previously been housed in the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings and other rented spaces throughout the city. [2] [3] The Government Building opened in 1913 and housed various Government departments up until the 1980s. The last Government department to occupy the building was the Ministry of Works and Development. [1] After being vacant for some time the building was threatened to be demolished in 1991. On 11 July 1991 the Christchurch City Council purchased the building from the government for $735,000. The council then sold it to the ‘Symphony Group’ in 1995 and it was converted into a hotel with the conditions to strengthen and conserve the building. [1] [4] It is now home to the Heritage Hotel Christchurch and the bar O.G.B. [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Canterbury</span> Public research university in Christchurch, New Zealand

The University of Canterbury (UC) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was founded in 1873 as Canterbury College, the first constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is New Zealand's second-oldest university, after the University of Otago, which was founded four years earlier, in 1869.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christchurch</span> City in the South Island of New Zealand

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / Ōtākaro flows through the centre of the city, with an urban park along its banks. The city's territorial authority population is 389,300 people, and includes a number of smaller urban areas as well as rural areas. The population of the urban area is 377,900 people. Christchurch is the second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand, after Auckland. It is the major urban area of an emerging sub-region known as Greater Christchurch. Notable smaller urban areas within this sub-region include Rangiora and Kaiapoi in Waimakariri District, north of the Waimakariri River, and Rolleston and Lincoln in Selwyn District to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral Square, Christchurch</span>

Cathedral Square, locally known simply as the Square, is the geographical centre and heart of Christchurch, New Zealand, where the city's Anglican cathedral, ChristChurch Cathedral is located. The square stands at the theoretical crossing of the city's two main orthogonal streets, Colombo Street and Worcester Street, though in practice both have been either blocked off or detoured around the square itself. The square was badly damaged in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ChristChurch Cathedral</span> Church in Christchurch Central City, New Zealand

ChristChurch Cathedral, also called Christ Church Cathedral and (rarely) Cathedral Church of Christ, is a deconsecrated Anglican cathedral in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. It was built between 1864 and 1904 in the centre of the city, surrounded by Cathedral Square. It became the cathedral seat of the Bishop of Christchurch, who is in the New Zealand tikanga of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isaac Luck</span>

Isaac Luck was a New Zealand architect. A professional builder, he arrived in Lyttelton on the Steadfast in 1851. He was the third chairman of the Christchurch Town Council. He was the brother-in-law of and in partnership with Benjamin Mountfort, and was the less well-known architectural partner for the design of the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christchurch Arts Centre</span> Arts, culture, education, creativity and entrepreneurship in Christchurch, New Zealand

TheArts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora is a hub for arts, culture, education, creativity and entrepreneurship in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located in the Gothic Revival former Canterbury College, Christchurch Boys' High School and Christchurch Girls' High School buildings, many of which were designed by Benjamin Mountfort. The centre is a national landmark and taonga as it is home to New Zealand's largest collection of category one heritage buildings with 21 of the 23 buildings covered by Heritage New Zealand listings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sign of the Takahe</span>

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christchurch Town Hall</span> Performing arts centre in Christchurch, New Zealand

The Christchurch Town Hall, since 2007 formally known as the Christchurch Town Hall of the Performing Arts, opened in 1972, is Christchurch, New Zealand's premier performing arts centre. It is located in the central city on the banks of the Avon River overlooking Victoria Square, opposite the former location of the demolished Christchurch Convention Centre. Due to significant damage sustained during the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, it was closed until 2019. Council staff initially recommended demolition of all but the main auditorium, but at a meeting in November 2012, councillors voted to rebuild the entire hall. In 2020, the town hall was registered as a Category I heritage building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christchurch Central City</span> Suburb in Christchurch, New Zealand

Christchurch Central City or Christchurch City Centre is the geographical centre and the heart of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is defined as the area within the Four Avenues and thus includes the densely built up central city, some less dense surrounding areas of residential, educational and industrial usage, and green space including Hagley Park, the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and the Barbadoes Street Cemetery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hororata</span> Village in Canterbury, New Zealand

Hororata is a village at the northwestern edge of the Canterbury Plains in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 15 kilometres southwest of Darfield, five kilometres south of Glentunnel, and 50 kilometres west of Christchurch, on the banks of the Hororata River. Hororata, when translated from Maori means "drooping rata". There are a large number of rata growing in the district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Civic, Christchurch</span> Former civic offices in Christchurch, New Zealand

The Civic in Manchester Street, Christchurch Central City, was one of the former civic buildings of Christchurch City Council (CCC). Built in 1900, it was first used as an exhibition hall, a cinema and then a theatre. It burned down in 1917. The northern part of the building was purchased by CCC and opened as the civic office in 1924, and served this purpose until 1980. After that it had several uses, including a restaurant, bar and live music venue. The building was heavily damaged in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, and was demolished.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief Post Office, Christchurch</span> Government, with some commercial enterprises in Christchurch, New Zealand

The Chief Post Office or Christchurch Central Post Office, originally known as the Government Building, is located in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, New Zealand. The building was initially a post office with other government services. Until the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, it was a Visitor Information Centre but has since been inaccessible, but is planned to reopen in 2023 as The Grand a mixed use building that will include restaurants, shops, an office & a Visitor Information Centre. It was the site of the first telephone exchange in New Zealand. The structure is registered with Heritage New Zealand as a Category I heritage building.

William Barnett Armson was an architect, surveyor, engineer in colonial New Zealand. A co-founder of the Canterbury Association of Architects, and an architect to the provincial government, he established the architectural firm of Armson, Collins and Harman in 1870, which remained active until 1993. It was one of the two oldest architectural firms in New Zealand. His most important work was the Bank of New Zealand building in Dunedin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Maddison</span>

Joseph Clarkson Maddison was a New Zealand architect. He trained as an architect in his native London and came to Canterbury at the age of 22. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, he was one of the most prominent architects in Christchurch, receiving commissions from all over the country. Until the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, 13 of his buildings were listed by Heritage New Zealand on their register, with three of those Category I listings, but many of the Christchurch buildings have been demolished since. His style was plain and utilitarian, and he specialised in the classical Italian mode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cranmer Court</span> Education building in Christchurch, New Zealand

Cranmer Court, the former Christchurch Normal School, was one of the most significant heritage buildings in Christchurch, New Zealand. Its demolition, due to some damage in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, was controversial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Worcester Chambers</span> Office building in Christchurch, New Zealand

The Worcester Chambers, recently also known as Gough Chambers, is a heritage building in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was designed by Cecil Wood in 1926 and is designated as a Category II heritage building registered by Heritage New Zealand. Located at 69 Worcester Street in Central Christchurch, it was originally the site of a secretarial school called Digby's Commercial College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latimer Square</span>

Latimer Square is an urban park in central Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located 400 metres (440 yd) east of the city's centre, Cathedral Square. Many commemorative events take place in Latimer Square. The square lies between the major urban thoroughfares of Gloucester Street and Worcester Street. Madras Street runs north and south to Latimer Square. The square is grassed and crossed by concrete paths and edged by mature trees. It covers an area of a little over 1.8 hectares.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Worcester Street, Christchurch</span> Street in Christchurch, New Zealand

Worcester Street is a road in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand. It runs from the intersection of Rolleston Avenue in the west, and terminates in the east at the intersection of Woodham Road in Linwood. Between Rolleston Avenue and Cambridge Terrace, it is known as Worcester Boulevard.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Old Government Building". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  2. "The architectural heritage of Christchurch. 5. Government Buildings" (PDF). Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  3. "Search the List | Canterbury Provincial Government Buildings | Heritage New Zealand". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  4. "Heritage Christchurch Foundation Laid – 1911". Discover The Delights Of Peeling Back History. 1 January 1911. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  5. "Heritage Christchurch". Heritage Hotels. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  6. "OGB Cafe & Bar, Christchurch NZ". OGB Bar & Cafe. Retrieved 17 February 2017.