By David Watt

Jeremy had many friends in Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, he had engaged with staff over decades on heritage projects, his advice was keenly sought, and he was willing whenever possible to support cases as an expert that Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga took to the Environment Court.

He will be greatly missed by colleagues in his founding firm Salmond Reed architects, his many contacts and friends as owners of heritage properties throughout New Zealand, and staff through our regional offices who had regular contact and met up with Jeremy at heritage conferences over the year, often together with his dear wife and former board chair of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, Dame Anne Salmond.

Jeremy was awarded the Queen’s Service Order in 2007 for his contribution to the heritage preservation of significant buildings throughout New Zealand. In 2018, he won the prestigous NZIA Gold Medal in Architecture. At the time, he said he never really set out to become a heritage and conservation architect, but like many people of his generation he grew up in an old house. “When my wife and I bought our lovely old house in Devonport in 1973, I went back to university for my Masters degree and I researched New Zealand’s old houses. That’s when I became a heritage architect – my dream of being a whizz-bang modern architect sort of faded and I became a go-to guy on heritage buildings.”

The landmark publication on New Zealand Old Houses which was initially written for his Master of Architecture in 1982 is now in its 8th edition. In 2010 he co-wrote Villa: from Heritage to Contemporary.

His legacy of outstanding projects was extensive, but key historic projects included the former Auckland Jewish Synagogue, many marae buildings, Auckland’s Civic Theatre, the Pompallier Printery in Kororāreka, the Auckland Art Gallery, the former Auckland Chief Post Office, the Auckland War Memorial Museum, the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Wellington and St Matthew-in-the-City, in Auckland, where Jeremy’s funeral service took place on 7 January.

In 1991 Jeremy Salmond was elected a Fellow of the NZIA for his outstanding contribution to the conservation of historic buildings, and in 2020 the University of Auckland recognised him with the Distinguished Alumni Award.

When Jeremy and Anne launched their Waikereru Ecosanctuary (Longbush Reserve) in Tairāwhiti, Gisborne, beside the Waimata River, he said it was a lovely foil to Auckland life, a project that had changed their lives and made them more aware of environmental issues, and managing the process of change and understanding the way a place evolves. The ecosantuary is home to numerous species of plants, animals and birds, many of which were on the endangered list when they moved there.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga staff and all those engaged in heritage preservation throughout Aotearoa New Zealand will deeply miss Jeremy’s friendship, his intellect, his wit and warm engagement.
Our heartfelt thoughts are with Dame Anne, and their family, Amiria, Steve and Tim at this time.