Houses

• 1899
• Building construction. (00053:56:3567)
• 1983
• Repile of 143 Abel Smith Street. (00058:0:C62002).
• 1991
• Additions and alterations to 145 Abel Smith Street – erect fire escapes. (00059:463:E22532)
• 2005
• Addition to 143 Abel Smith Street-Deck. (00078:2367:137496).

Not assessed

Not assessed

These two, three storey, timber villas were designed to a relatively standard plan, each with a bay window and entrance from the street (north) elevation. The ground floor was comprised of a parlour in the room with the bay window facing the street, and a dining room to the rear (south). The kitchen, scullery and ‘lumber room’ were situated in a semi-basement, and each house had four bedrooms and a bathroom/WC on the first floor.

The buildings differ from their original permit drawings. The two distinctive entrance porch/ balcony/ ‘Italianate’ towers do not appear on the permit drawings and are difficult to date. They may have been an interpretation of the annotation ‘balcony’ written on the first-floor plan, or may have been a later addition. They are, however, distinctive elements that contribute to the streetscape and make these buildings an unusual version of a standard villa design.

The buildings are a near-identical pair, and can be differentiated by their bay windows, No.143 has a square bay, while No.145 is chamfered.

Timber weatherboard on timber structural framing

Corrugated mild steel roofing

The buildings are located at the upper end of Abel Smith Street, just before the point where it meets with the end of The Terrace. To the east, house number 143 is bordered by a house of similar size and age, while to the west house number 145 is adjoined by a Victorian Villa that has been much altered. Further down the street stands the Aston Towers apartment block. Because of the incline of the street, house number 145 is elevated above house number 143.

• 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?

  143 & 145 Abel Smith Street are a pair of Victorian villas that were constructed at the same date for their developer/owner. They are good representative example of Villa-style and are distinguished by their unusual ‘Italianate’ towers.

• 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 buildings have group value as a pair of Victorian Villas that were built by the same developer in 1899 and been on-sold, owned and maintained as a pair ever since.

• 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?

  The two houses at 143 and 145 are local landmarks for their two, distinctive, ‘Italianate’ style towers.

• Association

  Is the item associated with an important historic event, theme, pattern, phase, or activity?

  The buildings have a representative history that is typical of many houses and residences in and around Aro Valley.

• Archaeological

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

  Pre- 1900 buildings, NZAA Central City Archaeological Area R27/270

• 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 buildings appear to have had few intrusive modern alterations or additions and contribute to the sense of place and continuity of Abel Smith Street.

• 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?

  These buildings retain authenticity of materials and have had little modification to the front facing facades.

• Local Regional National International

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

  These buildings are of local importance due to the landmark quality that they bring to Abel Smith Street.

• Rare

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

  No’s 143 & 145 are good representative examples of Victorian villa architecture that are distinguished by their unusual ‘Italianate’ towers.

Not assessed

• Wellington City Council, ‘143-145 Abel Smith Street,’ Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 1995.
• Wellington City Archive. (00053:56:3567)
• Wellington City Council Records
• WCC Permit Records. permit no: Y 3567 and Architectural Survey: Southern Te Aro (1981).
• Websites
• Yumlush, Flickr, , accessed 17 September 2012.

• Inventory Report

Not available