Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. This report includes the text from the original Building Classification Committee report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. The former Bayfield School developed over two decades at the turn of the century in response to the growing school-age population in a rapidly developing area of Auckland City. With the decline of this population in the 1960-70s the school was closed to be later redeveloped as the Pacific Islander's Education Resource Centre thus maintaining its importance as a community-based educational facility.

Physical Significance

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. This report includes the text from the original Building Classification Committee report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. ARCHITECTURAL QUALITY: Bayfield School is one of the few remaining examples of the use of the Queen Anne architectural style in educational buildings in New Zealand. The choice of this style suggests that Mitchell and Watt were influenced by the educational buildings of the well-known English Architect, E.R. Robson (1835-1917). Robson, as architect to the London School Board for 1871 had deliberately rejected the Gothic style, because of its ecclesiastical associations, as being inappropriate for secular school buildings. It is not surprising that architects for the free, compulsory and secular New Zealand school system should follow this lead. While the former Bayfield School shares many of the Queen Anne stylistic characteristics of Robson's models, it differs in construction and size. Built in wood, rather than in brick it is also a single storey building and the proportions are less attenuated. TOWNSCAPE/LANDMARK VALUE: The former Bayfield School stands on a prominent corner position on an important city road. It has considerable streetscape value.