The building was constructed at the same time, and to similar specifications, as the Wellington Post Office, which has since been destroyed. It was designed in an Imperial Baroque style, which was used for many public buildings of the time, including the Auckland Town Hall. White Oamaru stone and Coromandel granite emphasised the grandeur of its main facades, while a large light well and imported fittings did the same for its interior. The Post Office provided a variety of services, such as postage, banking and the payment of pensions on its ground floor, while its first floor contained offices, including those of the district engineer and traffic manager. The building also housed an electoral office for MPs to conduct constituency business, which was used by the Prime Minister, Robert Muldoon, in the 1970s. The Post Office occupied the building until the early 1990s, making a number of modifications to the structure. An Art Deco rear extension, built in the 1930s, was demolished by the City Council in 2001 in preparation for the building's conversion to a transport terminal.
The Chief Post Office is nationally significant as one of the largest post offices in the country when built. It handled the biggest volume of mail in the region at a time when the postal service was an important symbol of beneficial state involvement in everyday life. The Chief Post Office was a flagship for such services, and maintains an impressive appearance with its Baroque style and lavish interiors. Its prominence encouraged the surrounding area to become a focus of major social events, such as the welcoming of returning troops and of royalty. The building is a visible and tangible part of the city's history as a centre for regional communication and has considerable landmark qualities at the lower end of Queen Street. It is an Auckland icon, located in the very centre of the city and continues to enjoy high public esteem. It has additional landmark and historical value for its proximity to other historic buildings nearby, being located at the junction of three registered historic areas - Harbour Historic Area, Quay Street Historic Area and Customs Street Historic Area.
List Entry Information
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 1
Access
Able to Visit
List Number
101
Date Entered
11th July 1986
Date of Effect
11th July 1986
City/District Council
Auckland Council
Region
Auckland Council
Extent of List Entry
Extent includes part of the land described as Lot 100 DP 323395 (RT 93982), North Auckland Land District, and the building known as Chief Post Office thereon, and its fittings and fixtures.
Legal description
Lot 100 DP 323395 (RT 93982), North Auckland Land District
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 1
Access
Able to Visit
List Number
101
Date Entered
11th July 1986
Date of Effect
11th July 1986
City/District Council
Auckland Council
Region
Auckland Council
Extent of List Entry
Extent includes part of the land described as Lot 100 DP 323395 (RT 93982), North Auckland Land District, and the building known as Chief Post Office thereon, and its fittings and fixtures.
Legal description
Lot 100 DP 323395 (RT 93982), North Auckland Land District
Construction Professional
Name
Campbell, John
Type
Architect
Biography
John Campbell (1857-1942) served his articles under John Gordon (c1835-1912) in Glasgow. He arrived in Dunedin in 1882 and after a brief period as a draughtsman with Mason and Wales joined the Dunedin branch of the Public Works Department in 1883. His first known work, an unbuilt design for the Dunedin Railway Station, reveals an early interest in Baroque architecture. In November 1888 Campbell was transferred to Wellington where in 1889 he took up the position of draughtsman in charge of the Public Buildings Division of the Public Works Department. He remained in charge of the design of government buildings throughout New Zealand until his retirement in 1922, becoming in 1909 the first person to hold the position of Government Architect. Government architecture designed under his aegis evidences a change in style from Queen Anne to Edwardian Baroque. His best-known Queen Anne design is the Dunedin Police Station (1895-8), modelled on Richard Norman Shaw's New Scotland Yard (1887-90). Among his most exuberant Edwardian Baroque buildings is the Public Trust Office, Wellington (1905-09). Although Campbell designed the Dunedin Law Courts (1899-1902) in the Gothic style with a Scottish Baronial inflection, he established Edwardian Baroque as the government style for police stations, courthouses and post offices throughout New Zealand. In 1911 Campbell won the nation-wide architectural competition for the design of Parliament Buildings, Wellington. Although only partially completed, Parliament House is the crowning achievement of Campbell's career.
Name
Paton, Claude
Type
Architect
Biography
Claude Paton (1881 -1953) was born in Scotland and arrived in New Zealand in 1904. He received some architectural or draughting training in Glasgow which enabled him to gain employment with the Public Works Department in 1906 as an architectural draughtsman. Although Paton was never given the title of architect he was an influential force in the Department. He carried particular weight during the last decade of John Campbell's tenure as Government Architect; both were committed to the Edwardian Baroque style. Paton retired from the Public Works Department as a senior draughtsman in 1946.
Construction Details
Start Year
1909
Finish Year
1912
Type
Original Construction
Description
Construction of Chief Post Office
Start Year
1932
Type
Modification
Description
Demolition of associated side arches
Start Year
1930
startYearCirca
Finish Year
1940
finishYearCirca
Type
Addition
Description
Construction of rear annexe
Start Year
1961
Type
Modification
Description
Ground floor remodelled
Start Year
2001
Type
Modification
Description
Demolition of rear annexe
Notable Features
Registration covers the building, its fixtures and finishes. It also includes recent modifications. The building lies on reclaimed land in Commercial Bay, and occupies part of the site of the first Auckland railway station
Construction Professional
Name
Campbell, John
Type
Architect
Biography
John Campbell (1857-1942) served his articles under John Gordon (c1835-1912) in Glasgow. He arrived in Dunedin in 1882 and after a brief period as a draughtsman with Mason and Wales joined the Dunedin branch of the Public Works Department in 1883. His first known work, an unbuilt design for the Dunedin Railway Station, reveals an early interest in Baroque architecture. In November 1888 Campbell was transferred to Wellington where in 1889 he took up the position of draughtsman in charge of the Public Buildings Division of the Public Works Department. He remained in charge of the design of government buildings throughout New Zealand until his retirement in 1922, becoming in 1909 the first person to hold the position of Government Architect. Government architecture designed under his aegis evidences a change in style from Queen Anne to Edwardian Baroque. His best-known Queen Anne design is the Dunedin Police Station (1895-8), modelled on Richard Norman Shaw's New Scotland Yard (1887-90). Among his most exuberant Edwardian Baroque buildings is the Public Trust Office, Wellington (1905-09). Although Campbell designed the Dunedin Law Courts (1899-1902) in the Gothic style with a Scottish Baronial inflection, he established Edwardian Baroque as the government style for police stations, courthouses and post offices throughout New Zealand. In 1911 Campbell won the nation-wide architectural competition for the design of Parliament Buildings, Wellington. Although only partially completed, Parliament House is the crowning achievement of Campbell's career.
Name
Paton, Claude
Type
Architect
Biography
Claude Paton (1881 -1953) was born in Scotland and arrived in New Zealand in 1904. He received some architectural or draughting training in Glasgow which enabled him to gain employment with the Public Works Department in 1906 as an architectural draughtsman. Although Paton was never given the title of architect he was an influential force in the Department. He carried particular weight during the last decade of John Campbell's tenure as Government Architect; both were committed to the Edwardian Baroque style. Paton retired from the Public Works Department as a senior draughtsman in 1946.
Construction Details
Start Year
1909
Finish Year
1912
Type
Original Construction
Description
Construction of Chief Post Office
Start Year
1932
Type
Modification
Description
Demolition of associated side arches
Start Year
1930
startYearCirca
Finish Year
1940
finishYearCirca
Type
Addition
Description
Construction of rear annexe
Start Year
1961
Type
Modification
Description
Ground floor remodelled
Start Year
2001
Type
Modification
Description
Demolition of rear annexe
Notable Features
Registration covers the building, its fixtures and finishes. It also includes recent modifications. The building lies on reclaimed land in Commercial Bay, and occupies part of the site of the first Auckland railway station
Historical and Associated Iwi / Hapū / Whānau
Completion Date
21st August 2001
Report Written By
Martin Jones
Information Sources
New Zealand Herald
New Zealand Herald, 12 July 1932, p. 6; 28 September 1933, p. 6.
Conservation Plan
Conservation Plan
Other Information
This place was identified as significant under previous legislation with different information requirements. It remains significant under the current legislation. There is opportunity under our legislation and policies to add to this information. Further information about this place may be available from the Northern Regional Office of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. NZIA Resene New Zealand Award Winners 2008 Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions.
Historical and Associated Iwi / Hapū / Whānau
Completion Date
21st August 2001
Report Written By
Martin Jones
Information Sources
New Zealand Herald
New Zealand Herald, 12 July 1932, p. 6; 28 September 1933, p. 6.
Conservation Plan
Conservation Plan
Other Information
This place was identified as significant under previous legislation with different information requirements. It remains significant under the current legislation. There is opportunity under our legislation and policies to add to this information. Further information about this place may be available from the Northern Regional Office of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. NZIA Resene New Zealand Award Winners 2008 Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions.
Current Usages
Uses: Transport
Specific Usage: Railway station/ platform/ refreshment room
Former Usages
General Usage: Communication
Specific Usage: Post Office
Current Usages
Uses: Transport
Specific Usage: Railway station/ platform/ refreshment room
Former Usages
General Usage: Communication
Specific Usage: Post Office
Location
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