Auckland Winner St James Apartments

It was a bit of a nerve-wracking build up to the @Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZ Institute of Architects regional awards night this week. We are not big speech givers but we were very proud to be on stage accepting an Auckland Heritage award last night.

When our clients came to us and said they'd bought a church, we knew this would be a rescue mission worth taking on. We're so grateful for their trust and conviction in seeing it through. This project is the result of impressive dedication and craftsmanship from the builders at JW Build Group, a highly professional consultant team, and the whole Gel team who put their all into this project.

A huge thank you to everyone involved, and to @nziarchitects for the recognition: “Converting historic architecture is not for the faint hearted. This project deserves recognition for the sheer rigor of its execution and respect for heritage. A 125-year-old Category B neo-classical building, long left to decline, has been given extraordinary new life. The restored façade, major seismic strengthening, and careful insertion of four contemporary apartments within the historic fabric is an impressive act of stewardship. Stained glass, decorative bracing and kauri boards have been beautifully repurposed and celebrated. This is heritage architecture as city-making – proving Auckland’s treasured buildings can evolve, endure and serve new generations.”

Pre-renovation reminder: