Old BNZ Building 1 and 2, Old Bank Arcade

• 1899 - 1899
• Permit 3463 issued, construction begins
• 1901 - 1901
• Construction Finishes, building opens
• 1903 - 1903
• Application for construction (00053:117:6468)
• 1995 - 1995
• The Old Bank Arcade and Chambers refurbishment (61:255:15122)
• 1998 - 1998
• Construction of Plimmers Ark display$13, 000 (00078:645:48325)
• 1999
• various fit shop and office fit-outs

• unknown
• Not assessed

Not assessed

The Old BNZ Building No.1

This building is one of Thomas Turnbull’s most accomplished Classical designs and is situated on one of the most prominent street corners in downtown Wellington. It was built over three years (1899-1901) and constructed in load-bearing brick masonry on concrete foundations and piles. Upper floors and roof framing are timber. The exterior is modelled in stucco.

The facades of the building are divided horizontally into three parts. The ground floor is heavily rusticated. The first and second floors are joined with a giant order of Corinthian columns at the corners. Between them, the first floor has pediment and columned windows, the second floor round-headed windows with decorated corbels. A bracketed frieze and balustrade have been removed as an earthquake precaution. The interior has a fine banking chamber with a tessellated floor, highly finished Kauri furniture and elaborate plaster capitals and ceiling decoration, all of a standard of craftsmanship now rarely seen.

The architect made the most of the site, centering the design on its prominent corner and turning it on a round, rusticated base rising over two more stories. The vertical element has been emphasized on the corner facade by a giant order of Corinthian pilasters flanking large central windows. The windows have been treated as aedicules, with arched or squared pediments supported by secondary pilasters. The two wings on either side are symmetrical. These wings continue the rusticated base, imparting a feeling of strength and massive structure to the ground level.

A detailed cornice projects between the ground and first-floor, carrying small balconies to the first-floor windows. There is a skilful variation in window detail over the upper levels of the building. The first floor windows have also been treated as aedicules, with small pilasters supporting round pediments, while the floor above repeats the aedicules but they are capped with a square hood supported by corbels. A strong cornice runs underneath an entablature that has been stripped of much of its detail and merges into a plain parapet. Vertical and horizontal elements have been kept in balance on the facade, and there is a pleasant tempo set up by repeating elements across both wings of the facade. The building achieves what was always the aim of the Renaissance revival of Classical architecture: a demonstrable harmony of parts.

The main banking chamber was a space of great architectural quality, featuring free standing columns, metal ceiling, fine timber joinery and tiled floor; much of this material remains today.

The Old BNZ Building No.2

The Bank of New Zealand No.2 Building has a richly-modelled Edwardian Classical facade that incorporates a vigorous and varied ensemble of Renaissance motifs. The facade is symmetrical, with the main entry capped by a heavy portico complete with large consoles and a triangular pediment. The solid piers of the base are rusticated, as are the attached columns. The windows vary over the four levels of the building. The ground floor windows are recessed into semicircular arches with a plain cornice above. This cornice serves as a shallow plinth for the giant Ionic order that rises over the first and second storeys. This giant order is capped by a plain entablature above the second floor windows. A raking arches motif decorates the upper cornice.

The windows on the first floor carry either square hoods or arched or triangular pediments. The second floor windows have square heads and are framed with ornamental moulding. There are small balconies beneath the windows of both first and second floors. The top floor is effectively an attic story. The windows here are round-headed, and flanked by small pilasters or attached columns. This is an ornate and impressive facade but it does not achieve quite the sense of regularity and proportion of the neighbouring No.1 Building. The design reflects Edwardian commercial confidence and imparts a sense of trustworthy solidity. The building is a fine element of townscape, and a fitting companion to its neighbour, the No.1 building.

Building 1:

It was built over three years (1899-1901) and constructed in load-bearing brick masonry on concrete foundations and piles. Upper floors and roof framing are timber. The exterior is modelled in stucco.

Building 2:

Building 2 was built in brick and the exterior is modelled in stucco.

The Old BNZ No.1 & 2 Buildings are part of an exceptional group of four Classical buildings on this prominent CBD street-block. The buildings form a coherent group in terms of their architectural style, scale and age, and all have a historic association with the Bank of New Zealand. The street-block is almost triangular in plan, and is made up of three nodal points at its corners – the Art Deco inspired MLC Building to the east - and the two Classical buildings at its northwest and southwest corners. There are two ‘infill’ buildings that complete the illusion of a coherent Classical ‘palace’ front, which wraps around three sides of the street-block. This coherence is strengthened by the external decorative scheme that unifies the four Classical buildings, despite the fact that they were built at different times for different owner-occupiers. The buildings have been unified physically by internal alterations to suit their new use as the Old Bank Arcade and office complex.

In addition to the group value listed above, Building No.1 has significant townscape value in its own right. It occupies a prominent wedge shaped site at a nodal point in the City, and has been designed with great finesse to address the intersection of the three of most important streets in Wellington’s CBD – Willis Street and Customhouse and Lambton quays.

The four former BNZ buildings form the centrepiece of the BNZ/Head Office Heritage Area. Other significant buildings in the immediate area include the significant cluster of late Victorian / Edwardian commercial buildings around the Stewart Dawson’s Corner, a group of very fine 1930s’ head offices built for insurance companies and banks on Lambton Quay, and one of the city’s finest 20th century buildings – the AMP building on Customhouse Quay.

• 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 Old BNZ No.1 and No.2 are two buildings that form part of the Old BNZ Arcade and office complex. The buildings are fine examples of Edwardian Classical architecture that were designed by prominent Wellington architects - Thomas Turnbull and Son. Both are notable for the high quality of their design, workmanship and materials, and for their ornate and well-proportioned street facades. Building No.1 is the subject of a Heritage Order, and has additional architectural and aesthetic value for the way in which it was designed to address a prominent street-corner.

• Group

  Is the item part of a group of buildings, structures, or sites that taken together have coherence because of their age, history, style, scale, materials, or use?

  The two buildings have exceptional group value as part of four former Bank of New Zealand properties that now make up the Old Bank Arcade. The buildings form a coherent group in terms of their scale, style, materials, workmanship, age and use. This assemblage of high-quality Edwardian and Victorian Classical buildings is rare in New Zealand, and unique in Wellington.

• Townscape

  Does the item have townscape value for the part it plays in defining a space or street; providing visual interest; its role as a landmark; or the contribution it makes to the character and sense of place of Wellington?

  Building No.1 has significant townscape value in its own right. It occupies a prominent wedge shaped site at a nodal point in the City, and was designed with great finesse to address the intersection of the three of most important streets in Wellington’s CBD – Willis Street and Customhouse and Lambton quays.

• Association

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

  Building No.1 was the head office of the Bank of New Zealand and is one of Wellington’s most significant historic buildings. Building No.2 was owned or occupied by various investment and insurance companies before it was sold to the BNZ in 1917. It was part of the BNZ head office complex for nearly 70 years. 
  
  The Bank of New Zealand was the most successful of many investment banks that started in the 19th century. It had similar status to a ‘national’ bank and was owned by the government for many years.

• Archaeological

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

  The site is recognised as being a part of the Central City NZAA R27/270 & Pre 1900 reclaimed land archaeological areas. The site was also occupied by the previous Bank of New Zealand building, constructed in 1863 and replaced with the current building in 1901.
  
  This building is also protected by a NZHPT heritage order.
  
  

• Technological

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

  This building has technical importance due to the craftsmanship and trades skills displayed in the joinery, tiling, and plastering of the building. There is also technical value in the architecture of the building and the cohesion that it has with the buildings around it.

• 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 long history of this building with the Lambton Quay commercial district gives these buildings important social value. The exteriors of both buildings have had few intrusive modern additions or alterations over the past 110+ years and contribute to the sense of place and continuity of the BNZ / Head Offices Heritage Area.

• Public Esteem

  Is the item held in high public esteem?

  Both buildings are held in high public esteem and this can be demonstrated by the long-standing campaign to save them from demolition in the 1980s and 90s. Building No.1 is held in particularly high regard and is protected by a Heritage Order.

• 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?

  The exterior of these buildings have a high level of authenticity due to the retention of a significant amount of its original materials. The integrity of these buildings have been somewhat reduced due to modern additions such as the exterior pedestrian canopies on the lower levels.

• Rare

  Is the item rare, unique, unusual, seminal, influential, or outstanding?

  Building No.1 is an outstanding example of Turnbull and Sons Commercial architecture. Masonry buildings of size and age are now rare in Wellington and the survival of similar buildings is rare in New Zealand.

• Representative

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

  Building No.2 is a fine and assured example of Edwardian Classical architecture. Both buildings are good examples of the class they represent.

• Importance

  Is the item important for any of the above characteristics at a local, regional, national, or international level?

  These buildings are important at a local level due to their association with one of Wellington’s top architecture firms; the contributions they make to the townscape, and the role they have played in Wellington’s history. 
  
  They are also important at a national level due to the authenticity that they retain and the role that they play as a part of a now rare group of masonry commercial buildings.
  
  
  
  

Not assessed

• Bank of New Zealand Building (No. 1):239-247 Lambton Quay (Historic Places Trust Online Register report),
• Cochran, Chris, Turnbull House Conservation Plan (Wellington: Department of Conservation, 1991
• Historic Places Trust, “Turnbull, Thomas - Architect”, Professional Biographies, accessed February 21, 2013,
• Historic Places Trust, “Turnbull, William (1868-1914) - Architect”, Professional Biographies, accessed February 21, 2013,
• Wellington City Archives, Original building plans, 00053-117-6468.
• Wellington City Council, “233-247 Lambton Quay,” Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 2001: Non-Residential Buildings. (Wellington City Council, 2001), LAMB 10.

• Inventory Report
• 1905 drawings

Not available