Berry Building

• 1900
• 145-147 Cuba Street, photographic studio and shop (00053:63:3926)
• 1943
• 145-147 Cuba Street, reinstate premises (00056:282:B22674)
• 1945
• 145-147 Cuba Street, verandah (00056:305:B24108)
• 1993
• Cuba Street, foul water drain (00060:37:1416)
• 2001
• Cuba Street, seismic strengthening (00078:807:78496)

• 1905 - 1925
• Berry & Co, photographers (147) ( (Stones 1905, 1910-11, 1915-16, 1920, 1925),
• 1930 - 1940
• Henri Harrison, photographer & violin teacher (147) (Stones 1930, 1935, 1940),
• 1930 - 1935
• Victor Smith, architect (147)(Stones 1930, 1935),
• 1930 - 1935
• Dancing school Dancing school (147) (Stones 1930, 1935).
• 1945 - 1951
• Cuba Studios, photographers (Stones 1945, Wises 1950-51),
• 1945 - 1968
• Perfection Tailors (147) (Stones 1945, Wises 1950-51, 1955, 1961-62, 1967-68) ,
• 1971 - 1990
• Peter McLeavy Gallery (147) (Wises 1971-72, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990)
• 1910 - 1940
• 145: Wong, Yung, Chough and Co, fruiterers (Stones 1910-11, 1915-16, 1920), various fruiterers after this (Stones 1930, 1935, 1940),
• 1945 - 1955
• Young & Co, fruiterers (Wises 1945, 1950-51, 1955),
• 1961 - 1985
• New Asia Fruit Co (Wises 1961-62, 1967-68, 1971-72, 1975, 1980, 1985),
• 1990
• Super Fruit Market (Wises 1990)
• 1910 - 1916
• Vincent Dentice hairdresser (Stones 1910-11, 1915-16),
• 1920 - 1980
• Various hairdresser & tobacconists (Stones 1920, 1925, 1930, 1935, 1940, 1945, Wises 1950-51, 1955, 1961-62, 1967-68, 1971-72, 1980),
• 1975 - 1980
• Denis Hawthorne (149) (Wises 1975, 1980)
• unknown
• Not listed after this.

Not assessed

This three-storey masonry building has a simple but effective Edwardian Classical façade that has been somewhat truncated by the removal of the original parapet that once featured elaborate window pediments. The building was constructed in unreinforced load-bearing brick walls, with concrete lintels and foundations reinforced with railway rails, with timber floor joists and trusses.

The main features of the remaining façade are the four sets of windows, two on each storey, designed for ample natural light to the studio spaces. The first floor windows are recessed into wide arches and are divided by slender transoms and mullions. Festoon work in stucco fills the spandrel above. The free surface runs through the centre the building and holds a triangular plinth with “1900” embossed onto it. The building is capped by a simple pediment. The entablature carries the legend, “Berry & Co, Photographers”. This building shares similar elevation lines with its neighbour to the south and is notable for its simple but graceful (albeit incomplete) composition.

The interior of this building is potentially still reasonably intact, possessing an impressive timber stairwell, a pressed metal ceiling in the reception area (now a gallery), and dados in the hallways.

Unreinforced load-bearing brick masonry

Timber floor joists and trusses

Concrete lintels and foundations

Railway rails (reinforcing foundations)

Stucco

The Berry Building is situated on the east side of Cuba Street from the Ghuznee Street Corner. It is flanked to the south by Lazule (WCC ref 16/429), an elaborate two-storey Victorian Classical building, and to the north by Scopa (WCC ref 16/82.1) al two-storey stripped-Classical building with a distinctive parapet (with cross shaped motifs) and a modern mansard roof-addition.

In townscape terms this group of buildings, and their near neighbours on both Cuba and Ghuznee streets create an unbroken ‘street-wall’ of relatively ornate, similarly scaled heritage buildings that wrap around the Cuba/Ghuznee Street intersection and signal the ‘entrance’ to upper Cuba Street. This is an important visual element of the Cuba Street Heritage Area.

• 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 Berry Building is a good representative example of an Edwardian Classical commercial building. The building is notable for its simple but graceful composition, but this is somewhat incomplete following the removal of the elaborate original parapet.

• 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 Berry Building is part of an unbroken ‘street-wall’ of heritage buildings that wraps around the Cuba/Ghuznee Street intersection and signals the ‘entrance’ to upper Cuba Street. This group is coherent in terms of height, elaborate facades (albeit in a range of architectural styles), age, history, materials and patterns of use.

• 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?

  This building has significant townscape value for the visual interest that it adds to the Cuba Streetscape and as a part of the Cuba Street Heritage Area.

• Association

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

  This building has historic value for its connection to the New Zealand Photographic Company and William Berry, a popular portrait photographer. It was designed by William Crichton, an important architect of the period. 

  
  

• Association

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

  The building also has historic value for its association with the strong growth and development of Cuba Street during the Edwardian period, which resulted in the building of many fine commercial buildings.

  
  

• Archaeological

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

  It is known that there has been pre-1900 human activity on the site; hence this site has potential archaeological value. Central City NZAA 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?

  This building is part of a group of Edwardian commercial buildings on Cuba Street which contribute to the sense of place and continuity of the Cuba Street Heritage Area.

• 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?

  This building retains significant original material and has maintained a high level of authenticity – for exterior and interiors.

• Local Regional National International

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

  This building is of local importance for its contribution to the Cuba Street Heritage Area. It is a modestly scaled but attractive building, designed by a prominent Wellington architect. It retains economic and functional uses as well as retaining a significant amount of original material and authenticity.

• Representative

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

  The building is representative of the architecture and history found on Cuba Street. It has a distinctive character and adds significantly to the variety of Cuba Street.

Not assessed

• Cyclopedia Co. Ltd, “Crichton, William,” in The Cyclopedia of New Zealand: Wellington Provincial District (Wellington: The Cyclopedia Company Limited, 1897), accessed January 10, 2012,
• Easton, Paul. ‘Positive search via War negatives”, 5/6/2012, accessed 24 July 2013,
• Kelly, Michael, and Russell Murray. Cuba Street Heritage Area Report. Wellington City Council: Unpublished report, prepared for Plan Change 48, 2006.
• Wellington City Council. Cuba Street Heritage Area spreadsheet (blocks 1-3). Wellington City Council: Unpublished report, prepared for Plan Change 48, 2006.
• Wellington City Council. Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 2001: Non-Residential Buildings. Wellington City Council, 2001.
• 00053:63:3926
• 00056:282:B22674
• 00056:305:B24108
• 00060:37:1416
• 00078:807:78496

• Inventory Report
• 1900 plans

Not available