Italian Ambassador’s Residence

Goadhurst; 36 Grant Road

36-38 Grant Road, Thorndon, Wellington
❰ ❱
Image: Charles Collins, 2015

Image: WCC - Charles Collins, 2015

Extent: Cityview GIS 2013
Extent: Cityview GIS 2013
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  • Constructed

    1877

  • Architect(s)

    Thomas Turnbull

  • Builder(s)

    Unknown

  • The Italian Ambassador’s Residence is a good surviving example of the ‘Italianate Style’ of architecture that became popular in Wellington and abroad during the Victorian age. The building gives good insight into the skill and style of the important Wellington architect Thomas Turnbull. Visually, the Embassy is a very attractive building.

    The Italian Ambassador’s Residence has considerable historical significance. As the home constructed by and for one of Wellington’s early important architects and his family, and then owned by one of Wellington’s more prominent businessmen, the home’s historical importance was secured early in its life. Over the last fifty or so years, this importance has grown when it became the residence of the Italian Ambassador to New Zealand. The house’s historical importance has grown to an international level.

    The Italian Ambassador’s Residence contributes to a sense of continuity through its survival dating back to 1877. The role of the house as the New Zealand residence of the Italian Ambassador also contributes to a sense of Wellington being the political centre of New Zealand.


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  • close History

    • The Italian Ambassador's Residence was built in 1877 by the architect Thomas Turnbull for his family home. Turnbull, his wife, and their five children lived there until 1892. The next owner was George Tolhurst, who purchased the property, also for him and his family, in 1898, and renamed the house ‘Goadhurst’. The property then passed to his daughter Flora Lucy Young, who had married Wellington businessman Alexander T. Young. Alexander Young had married Lucy’s younger sister Beatrice in 1898, but Beatrice died in 1908. Alexander Young died in 1921, leaving Lucy a widow, and the sole owner of the house, which she remained until 1947. The house was then divided into two flats, before it was bought and restored to its traditional form by the Italian Government for its Ambassadorial residence.

      The original section used to be much larger than it is at present. The site of the house was originally part of the town acre lot 661. When Thomas Turnbull bought the section he also bought half of the adjacent northern section, lot 662. In 1914 and 1915, the back half and, later, part of section 661 were transferred to Oswald Beere. The front of the section was also sold off, though restrictions were placed on the sale so that the house would keep its views. In 1918 the north-eastern corner of section 662 was transferred to Albert Creagh O’Connor, land which became 32 Grant Road. 38 Grant Road was resultant of the transfer of lot 4 to Miss Ethel Cooper in 1938. The Italian Ambassador’s residence and its administrative bodies now occupy all three houses at 34-38 Grant Road.

      The house has a history of grandeur and various features associated with the upper classes. Journalist Margeret Kelly wrote that the northern garden once included ‘a wide audience which once carried coaches and horses along a horseshoe-shaped driveway to a coach house … on the northern side of the house – the wide part of the horseshoe – then out again on the other leg of the horseshoe’. A coachhouse was transformed into bedrooms with a ballroom above. Sometime after 1916 that structure was demolished to make way for a tennis court, replacing the tennis court that was sold to Oswald Beere.

      The residence of the Italian Ambassador has significant heritage value. Though there have been multiple additions and alterations, it still captures the talents and social stature of its architect, and with his family, the house’s first resident, Thomas Turnbull. The building has significant historical importance for its links to Turnbull and over the last fifty years, its role as the residence of the Italian Ambassador to New Zealand.

    • Modifications close
      • 1877
      • Construction
      • 1894
      • Additions to outhouse
      • 1916
      • Additions to outhouse
      • 1928
      • Additions and alterations to walls, foundations, and roof
      • 1947
      • House divided into flats
      • 1961
      • House restored to single dwelling
      • 1979
      • Alterations and renovations. Foundations, walls, and roof
    • Occupation History close
      • 1877 - 1892
      • Thomas Turnbull and family
      • 1898 - 1913
      • George Tolhurst and family
      • 1912 - 1948
      • Flora Lucy Young (nee Tolhurst, Alexander T. Young, and family
      • 1948 - 1961
      • ?
      • 1961
      • The Italian Ambassador to New Zealand
      • 1965 - 1968
      • Ambassador Oberto Fabiani
      • 1968 - 1972
      • Ambassador Giulio Carnevali and family
      • 1972 - 1978
      • Ambassador Benedetto Fenzi
      • 1978 - 1981
      • Ambassador Raffaele Gesini and family
      • 1981 - 1988
      • Ambassador Giorgio De Andreis
      • 1988 - 1989
      • Ambassador Rosario Nicosia
      • 1989 - 1995
      • Ambassador Ottone Mattei
      • 1995 - 1999
      • Ambassador Antonino Provenzano
      • 1999
      • Ambassador Roberto Palmieri
      • 2003
      • Ambassador Liana Marolla
      • 2011
      • Ambassador Alessandro Levi Sandri
  • close Architectural Information
    • Building Classification(s) close

      Not assessed

    • Architecture close

      The house, as it stands today, is a two-storey, double-bay villa. Turnbull has clearly shown his preference for the Italianate in his design, and the detailing of the exterior consciously imitates, in timber, the stone archetypes of the Renaissance. The two prominent corner wings of the front facade project out under flying gables supported by long brackets at the corners. The corners have wooden quoins, again in imitation of the original masonry motif. The ground-floor bay windows feature shallow segmental arches, and beaded enrichments under the eaves. Italianate balustraded balconies sit over bay windows at the first-floor level, and are attached to a balcony in a similar style which covers the entrance veranda.

      The house has been restored to its former condition with many of the original features remaining. Of note is the parquet floor in the living room, a mosaic of alternating foot lengths of dark Matai and light Kauri placed about diamond shapes of a mid-coloured timber. From the exterior, the building appears as a solid, white, double gabled two-storey wooden house.

    • Materials close

      Rusticated weatherboards, corrugated iron roof

    • Setting close

      The Italian Ambassador’s Residence sits on a section of 1130 square metres, and is shrouded by trees from Wadestown Road to the west and by the houses at 32 and 38 Grant Road to the south-east. The Italian Ambassador’s residence is located in an area with many other grand houses. Indicative of wealth and status, the continuing grandeur of the residence signals its distinguished past and continued prestige. The house anchors an important heritage area and consistent townscape in the enclave around Newman Terrace, one block down from the house.


  • close Cultural Value

    The Italian Ambassador’s Residence is a good surviving example of the ‘Italianate Style’ of architecture that became popular in Wellington and abroad during the Victorian age. The building gives good insight into the skill and style of the important Wellington architect Thomas Turnbull. Visually, the Embassy is a very attractive building.

    The Italian Ambassador’s Residence has considerable historical significance. As the home constructed by and for one of Wellington’s early important architects and his family, and then owned by one of Wellington’s more prominent businessmen, the home’s historical importance was secured early in its life. Over the last fifty or so years, this importance has grown when it became the residence of the Italian Ambassador to New Zealand. The house’s historical importance has grown to an international level.

    The Italian Ambassador’s Residence contributes to a sense of continuity through its survival dating back to 1877. The role of the house as the New Zealand residence of the Italian Ambassador also contributes to a sense of Wellington being the political centre of New Zealand.

    • Aesthetic Value close

      • Architectural

        Does the item have architectural or artistic value for characteristics that may include its design, style, era, form, scale, materials, colour, texture, patina of age, quality of space, craftsmanship, smells, and sounds?

        The Italian Ambassador’s Residence is a good surviving example of the ‘Italianate Style’ of architecture that became popular in Wellington and abroad during the Victorian age. The building gives good insight into the skill and style of the important Wellington architect Thomas Turnbull. Visually, the Embassy is a very attractive building.

    • Historic Value close

      • Association

        Is the item associated with an important person, group, or organisation?

        The Italian Ambassador’s Residence has considerable historical significance. As the home constructed by and for one of Wellington’s early important architects and his family, and then one of Wellington’s more prominent businessmen, the home’s historical importance was secured early in its life. Over the last fifty or so years, this importance has grown when it became the residence of the Italian Ambassador to New Zealand. The house’s historical importance has grown to an international level due to the long association with the Italian Ambassador.

    • Scientific Value close

      • Archaeological

        Does the item have archaeological value for its ability to provide scientific information about past human activity?

        The Italian Ambassador’s residence has archaeological value for the presence of a pre-1900 building.

      • Technological

        Does the item have technological value for its innovative or important construction methods or use of materials?

        The Italian Ambassador’s Residence has retained much of the original fabric and detailing, giving the house educational value for what we can learn about building techniques of the past.

    • Social Value close

      • Identity Sense Of Place Continuity

        Is the item a focus of community, regional, or national identity? Does the item contribute to sense of place or continuity?

        The Italian Ambassador’s Residence contributes to a sense of continuity through its survival dating back to 1877. The role of the house as the New Zealand residence of the Italian Ambassador also contributes to a sense of Wellington being the political centre of New Zealand.

      • Symbolic Commemorative Traditional Spiritual

        Does the item have symbolic, commemorative, traditional, spiritual or other cultural value for the community who has used and continues to use it?

        The Italian Ambassador’s Residence holds traditional and commemorative value for the Italian diplomatic community and its guests that continue to use the house.

    • Level of Cultural Heritage Significance close

      • Authentic

        Does the item have authenticity or integrity because it retains significant fabric from the time of its construction or from later periods when important additions or modifications were carried out?

        Significant original fabric remains, giving the house a high degree of authenticity. In addition, though the house has had numerous additions and renovations, they have remained true to the original design’s visual integrity.

      • Representative

        Is the item a good example of the class it represents?

        The Italian Ambassador’s residence is a good example of a house built in the Italianate style.

    • Local / Regional / National / International Importance close

      Not assessed

  • close Site Detail

    • District Plan Number

      18/ 137

    • Legal Description

      Lot 1 & 2 DP 13724

    • Heritage New Zealand Listed

      2/ 2

    • Archaeological Site

      Pre-1900 building

    • Current Uses

      unknown

    • Former Uses

      unknown

    • Has building been funded

      No

    • Funding Amount

      Not applicable

    • Earthquake Prone Status

      Not Earthquake Prone

  • close Additional Information
    • Sources close
      • CT 800
      • Cochran, Chris. Turnbull House Conservation Plan. Wellington: Department of Conservation, 1991
      • Cochran, Chris. 'Turnbull, Thomas'. From the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Updated 30-Oct-2012, accessed September 2013
      • Harsveldt, Patrick. ‘Conservation Plan: The Italian Ambassador’s Residence Thorndon’. Prepared as part of the course ARCH 273: Building Heritage Conservation, Victoria University of Wellington, c.1999. In Wellington City Council Archive File 1041-06-GRA36.
      • Historic Places Trust, “Turnbull, William (1868-1914) - Architect”, Professional Biographies, accessed September 25, 2012,
      • Kelly, Margeret. ‘The residence of the Italian Ambassador’. Evening Post, 24 April 1970
      • Zecchini, Alessandra. ‘Viva Italia, Ambassador House Wellington’. New Zealand House and Garden. Accessed September 2013
    • Technical Documentation close

      Not available

    • Footnotes close

      Not available

Last updated: 10/6/2017 1:51:23 AM