Beca was engaged by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) to provide building services and civil engineering design for this NZ$44 million heritage conservation project.
Set on 12 hectares of grounds in New Zealand's capital city Wellington, Government House is one of New Zealand's most nationally significant heritage buildings and has been accorded a Category One heritage status by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
After almost a century of use, the House was in need of major seismic strengthening and considerable conservation work. This was the catalyst for a major refurbishment; the House had many out-dated, inefficient and out of tune systems that had to be completely replaced.
Central to the project was the retention of authentic and valuable historic fabric, thereby preserving the integrity of the building’s heritage. This was considered at all levels – landscaping, space planning, choice of building materials, detailing, selection of finishes, and furniture.
As Government House is used for different purposes, the building services systems were designed for flexibility and to meet modern high quality standards, yet remain sympathetic and in keeping with the heritage surroundings.
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