Administrator House

The project involved a comprehensive refurbishment of both levels, with a renewed entrance, gallery and bathrooms at ground level, and offices, meeting spaces, kitchenette and amenities above. With the building’s concrete structure and interior walls protected under the heritage listing, integrating modern services required a highly considered approach. Lighting and wiring were discreetly concealed within routed skirtings and dado rails, with additional cabling hidden beneath raised floors.

Undertaken alongside a seismic upgrade, the building was transformed from a state of disrepair into a refined and adaptable inner-city venue. Historic materials, including Oamaru limestone and Nelson marble, informed the restoration, while new insertions were chosen to complement the original architecture. A patterned Winckelmans tile floor animates the entry, the gallery’s ornate plaster ceiling has been restored, and heritage-inspired finishes carry through to the bathrooms. Upstairs, refreshed offices, a new acoustically treated meeting room, and a revitalised staircase complete the renewal. Today, Administrator House stands as a jewel in the streetscape and a much-loved setting for work, exhibitions and events.