Nelson was the New Zealand Company’s second settlement and Captain Arthur Wakefield (1799–1843) chose its site in 1841. As Wakefield intended, Trafalgar Street north of Church Hill was the focus of commercial activity. Hardy Street, intersecting with Trafalgar Street, was one of the first streets surveyed and named. The New Zealand Insurance Company (NZI), established in 1859, was one of a number of life insurance companies operating in New Zealand from the mid-late nineteenth century. The company first established a presence in Nelson in 1861 with an agency and had a Trafalgar Street branch by the early twentieth century.
In 1956 they constructed new offices in Hardy Street, near the Trafalgar Street intersection, on a site formerly occupied by a law firm. This was part of NZI’s building programme in provincial centres in the 1950s. It was typical for Gummer and Ford to work in association with a local architect on these projects. Gummer and Ford were New Zealand’s ‘most prominent practice’ between the two World Wars. This series of buildings for NZI was among Gummer and Ford’s later projects because William Henry Gummer (1884–1966) and Charles Reginald Ford (1880–1972) retired in 1961. Bowman was the local architect involved in the project. He went on to design important Nelson buildings, including the Trafalgar Centre, Airport Terminal and the City Council Building.
The 1950s NZI buildings share architectural features associated with the company from the early twentieth century, referencing the lower central section of their Auckland offices which Gummer and Ford also designed. However, the mid-century buildings are given a modern movement twist because the pair of substantial full-height Classical columns stand in front of a recessed glass curtain wall. Awnings have since been added to the New Zealand Insurance Building (Former), partially obscuring the curtain wall.
The construction of NZI’s Nelson offices coincided with what seems to have been a period of local economic growth, with new buildings ‘popping up all over town’. For example, plans for Christ Church Cathedral were approved in 1957 and other buildings on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero were built, such as the nearby Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Building. In particular, insurance companies appear to have been prospering at the time, because South Island Motor Union Mutual Insurance Association also built new Nelson premises.
List Entry Information
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 2
Access
Private/No Public Access
List Number
3022
Date Entered
25th November 1982
Date of Effect
25th November 1982
City/District Council
Nelson City
Region
Nelson Region
Extent of List Entry
Extent includes the land described as Lots 2-3 AP 133 (RT NL57/98, NL39/180), Nelson Land District and the building known as New Zealand Insurance Building (Former) thereon.
Legal description
Lots 2-3 AP 133 (RT NL57/98, NL39/180), Nelson Land District.
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 2
Access
Private/No Public Access
List Number
3022
Date Entered
25th November 1982
Date of Effect
25th November 1982
City/District Council
Nelson City
Region
Nelson Region
Extent of List Entry
Extent includes the land described as Lots 2-3 AP 133 (RT NL57/98, NL39/180), Nelson Land District and the building known as New Zealand Insurance Building (Former) thereon.
Legal description
Lots 2-3 AP 133 (RT NL57/98, NL39/180), Nelson Land District.
Construction Professional
Name
Alexander William Bowman
Type
Architect
Biography
1916-2001 Nelson’s leading architect in the post-Second World War period Alexander (Alex) Bowman studied architecture at Canterbury University College in Christchurch from 1935-1937 and found work at local firm Helmore and Cotterill while a student. In 1938 he headed for England, where he worked on social housing for the London County Council. The Second World War intervened and Bowman served in the New Zealand Army in Noumea, Egypt and Italy. After the war ended in 1945 he went back to London where he studied, then worked, in town planning. On his return to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1948 Bowman was employed by the Department of Education before taking over the architectural practice Houlker and Duke in Nelson the following year. Bowman became the city’s leading architect and is credited with bringing Modern Movement architecture to Nelson. Like many of his peers, such as Miles Warren, he travelled overseas, where he was exposed to new architectural trends. In the late 1940s, he went to the United States with the architect Allot Gabites. They visited California and were exposed to the Bay Area style exemplified by the domestic work of William Wurster, who was known for his use of innovative building materials like hollow concrete blocks and maximisation of sea views. This made an impression on Bowman and informed his architectural practice.
Name
Gummer & Ford
Type
Architect
Biography
The architectural partnership of Gummer and Ford was established in 1923, and became one of national importance. William Henry Gummer (1884-1966) was articled to W.A. Holman, an Auckland architect, and was elected as an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1910. In the period 1908-1913 he travelled in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States. During this time he worked for Sir Edwin Lutyens, leading English architect of the time, and for Daniel Burnham in Chicago. Burnham was a major American architect and one of the founders of the influential Chicago School of Architecture. Gummer joined the firm of Hoggard and Prouse of Auckland and Wellington in 1913. In 1914 he was elected a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, was president of the Institute from 1933-34 and was later elected a life member. Charles Reginald Ford (1880- 1972) was born in England and served in the Royal Navy. He was later with Captain Scott's 1901-1904 expedition to Antarctica. He trained as an architect working in Wanganui as an engineer. In 1926 he wrote the first treatise on earthquake and building construction in the English language. Ford was president of the New Zealand Institute of Architects from 1921-22. Buildings designed by the partnership include the State Insurance Building Wellington, (1940) the Dilworth Building (1926), the Guardian Trust Building and the Domain Wintergardens (1921 and 1928), all in Auckland, and the Dominion Museum (1936) in Wellington. Gummer and Ford were awarded Gold Medals from the New Zealand Institute of Architects for the designs of Auckland Railway Station and Remuera Library. Gummer was one of the most outstanding architects working in New Zealand in the first half of this century and was responsible for the stylistically and structurally advanced Tauroa (1916), Craggy Range (1919), Arden (1926), and Te Mata (1935) homesteads at Havelock North.
Construction Details
Start Year
1956
Type
Original Construction
Construction Professional
Name
Alexander William Bowman
Type
Architect
Biography
1916-2001 Nelson’s leading architect in the post-Second World War period Alexander (Alex) Bowman studied architecture at Canterbury University College in Christchurch from 1935-1937 and found work at local firm Helmore and Cotterill while a student. In 1938 he headed for England, where he worked on social housing for the London County Council. The Second World War intervened and Bowman served in the New Zealand Army in Noumea, Egypt and Italy. After the war ended in 1945 he went back to London where he studied, then worked, in town planning. On his return to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1948 Bowman was employed by the Department of Education before taking over the architectural practice Houlker and Duke in Nelson the following year. Bowman became the city’s leading architect and is credited with bringing Modern Movement architecture to Nelson. Like many of his peers, such as Miles Warren, he travelled overseas, where he was exposed to new architectural trends. In the late 1940s, he went to the United States with the architect Allot Gabites. They visited California and were exposed to the Bay Area style exemplified by the domestic work of William Wurster, who was known for his use of innovative building materials like hollow concrete blocks and maximisation of sea views. This made an impression on Bowman and informed his architectural practice.
Name
Gummer & Ford
Type
Architect
Biography
The architectural partnership of Gummer and Ford was established in 1923, and became one of national importance. William Henry Gummer (1884-1966) was articled to W.A. Holman, an Auckland architect, and was elected as an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1910. In the period 1908-1913 he travelled in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States. During this time he worked for Sir Edwin Lutyens, leading English architect of the time, and for Daniel Burnham in Chicago. Burnham was a major American architect and one of the founders of the influential Chicago School of Architecture. Gummer joined the firm of Hoggard and Prouse of Auckland and Wellington in 1913. In 1914 he was elected a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, was president of the Institute from 1933-34 and was later elected a life member. Charles Reginald Ford (1880- 1972) was born in England and served in the Royal Navy. He was later with Captain Scott's 1901-1904 expedition to Antarctica. He trained as an architect working in Wanganui as an engineer. In 1926 he wrote the first treatise on earthquake and building construction in the English language. Ford was president of the New Zealand Institute of Architects from 1921-22. Buildings designed by the partnership include the State Insurance Building Wellington, (1940) the Dilworth Building (1926), the Guardian Trust Building and the Domain Wintergardens (1921 and 1928), all in Auckland, and the Dominion Museum (1936) in Wellington. Gummer and Ford were awarded Gold Medals from the New Zealand Institute of Architects for the designs of Auckland Railway Station and Remuera Library. Gummer was one of the most outstanding architects working in New Zealand in the first half of this century and was responsible for the stylistically and structurally advanced Tauroa (1916), Craggy Range (1919), Arden (1926), and Te Mata (1935) homesteads at Havelock North.
Construction Details
Start Year
1956
Type
Original Construction
Historical and Associated Iwi / Hapū / Whānau
Completion Date
27th April 2016
Report Written By
Karen Astwood
Information Sources
Gatley, 2008
Christine McCarthy, ‘Hannah Playhouse (also known as Downstage)’Julia Gatley (ed.), Long Live the Modern: New Zealand's New Architecture 1904-1984, Auckland University Press, Auckland, 2008
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
www.TeAra.govt.nz
Palmerston North City Council
Palmerston North City Council
Architectural Archive
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 Central Regional Office of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. 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. A fully referenced upgrade report is available on request from the Central Region Office of Heritage New Zealand
Historical and Associated Iwi / Hapū / Whānau
Completion Date
27th April 2016
Report Written By
Karen Astwood
Information Sources
Gatley, 2008
Christine McCarthy, ‘Hannah Playhouse (also known as Downstage)’Julia Gatley (ed.), Long Live the Modern: New Zealand's New Architecture 1904-1984, Auckland University Press, Auckland, 2008
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
www.TeAra.govt.nz
Palmerston North City Council
Palmerston North City Council
Architectural Archive
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 Central Regional Office of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. 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. A fully referenced upgrade report is available on request from the Central Region Office of Heritage New Zealand
Current Usages
Uses: Trade
Specific Usage: Office building/Offices
Uses: Trade
Specific Usage: Restaurant/cafe/tearoom
Current Usages
Uses: Trade
Specific Usage: Office building/Offices
Uses: Trade
Specific Usage: Restaurant/cafe/tearoom
Location
Sign up to hear more
Get the latest heritage news, features and events delivered
straight to your inbox.
