Kirkcaldie and Stains Department Store

• 1866 - 1867
• Reclamation from Grey Street to Waring Taylor Street.
• 1868
• First Kirkcaldie and Stains shop opened at the corner of Brandon Street and Lambton Quay (demolished c.1909)
• 1897
• Thomas Turnbull and Sons building designed on Lambton Quay at the site of the former Reichardt music warehouse (demolished c.1924)
• 1909
• the sites on Lambton Quay, Brandon & Johnston Streets (except for the 1897 building) were re-developed
• c.1928
• The 1897 Lambton Quay building was demolished and replaced by a design that matched the 1909 buildings.
• 1942
• Earthquake damage repairs
• 1985 - 1989
• Façade retention scheme.
• 1995
• BUILDING HERITAGE ITEM (DISTRICT PLAN): Details migrated from RHS #528, SR 9200528

Not assessed

Not assessed

The present Kirkcaldie and Stains building is one of the first large scale façade retention projects in the modern era (post 1970s) in Wellington. Where in earlier times a building might have been “modernised” with the construction of a new skin to cover an old building , for the Kirkcaldie’s building the reverse is true and the only remaining original building fabric is limited to a thin external veneer, behind which a substantial modern building has been built. 

The remaining Kirkcaldie’s façade is made up of part of the 1909 Thomas Turnbull and Son design, and almost all of the 1928 Llewellyn Williams’ addition that essentially reproduced the earlier design to create a homogenous Lambton Quay elevation. These buildings were constructed in a plain Commercial Classical style capped by triangular open-bed pediments at the corners, and the remaining facade consists of rusticated piers rising through two storeys, set between wide windows of metal joinery. The current aluminium windows date from the 1980s redevelopment of the site and have little aesthetic or heritage value.

The three storey department store now functions as a podium to a pair of multi-storey office towers. This podium has the appearance of a stage or film set, with a tall, imposing façade to Lambton Quay propped in front of a less substantial building behind. The façade sits in front of a roof-top car parking area, and the current roof level can be seen through existing second floor windows revealing the open, empty space behind. This is somewhat disconcerting and gives the otherwise heavy ferro-concrete façade the illusion of impermanence. 

There is little to recommend the present building in terms of authenticity of fabric (other than the Lambton Quay façade) but the remnant façade has become synonymous with the name of Kirkaldie and Stains, and is a familiar landmark to many Wellingtonians.

Façade only: - Render on reinforced concrete walls

The Kirkcaldie and Stains department store occupies a street block of the Lambton Quay section of Wellington’s “golden mile”. The building was redeveloped in the 1980s and the only the Lambton Quay façade, for four window bays of the  Johnston Street facade, and one window bay of the Brandon Street façade remain.

The Kirkcaldie and Stains department store is bounded to the north by Midland Park, a popular inner city “pocket park”. Behind Midland Park is the Vodafone on the Quay development that incorporates parts of the former Central Police Station. To the south of Kirkcaldie and Stains is the fine “Chicago-style” former DIC that also occupies the street block frontage to Lambton Quay with entrances from Brandon and Panama Streets. 

 Other nearby heritage buildings include: -

• The former Public Trust (1909), 131-135 Lambton Quay
• The former State Insurance Building (1942), 143-149 Lambton Quay
• The former Central Police Station (1913-17) Waring Taylor & Johnston Streets
• The former DIC department store (1928), 179-193 Lambton Quay
• The former T&G Building (1928), 203-213 Lambton Quay

The remaining heritage buildings listed above form an almost unbroken row of pre-1950s buildings (with the notable exception of the modern buildings to the south of the former State Insurance Building, and Midland Park on the site of the former Midland Hotel).  

• 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 Kirkcaldie and Stains department store is one of the early “façade retention” schemes in the Wellington CBD and has some architectural interest for this reason. The building has had a mixed review from architectural commentators and the connections between the old and new buildings (particularly the misalignment of floor and roof levels that show through the existing windows on the façade) are somewhat unresolved.

• 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 building does have some townscape value, for the way in which it fronts an entire street-block of Lambton Quay, but perhaps in the most part for its strong association with the Kirkcaldie and Stains’ “brand.”

• Association

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

  The building has a long association with Kirkcaldie and Stains Ltd, a high quality department store with a status similar to Smith and Caughey in Auckland or Ballantynes in Christchurch. It is a local institution that has been an integral part of the retail shopping scene in Wellington since the foundation of the business in 1863 in Plimmer’s Ark, and has occupied part of this inner city site since 1868.

• Archaeological

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

  Central City NZAA R27/270 & Pre 1900 reclaimed land. The site was substantially disturbed by the c.1988 redevelopment.

• 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?

  Kirkcaldie and Stains Ltd have operated a department store on part of this site since 1868 and continue to make a contribution to the sense of place and continuity of Lambton Quay.

Not assessed

Not assessed

• CT vol 353 folio 270, CT Vol 1 Folios 127 & 128, CT vol 84 folio 144, CT 28C/455, CT 28C/459 & 28C/460, CT WN11A/271
• Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, Vol 2 1870-1899.
• Kernohan, David (ed) “Wellington’s New Buildings” Wellington: Victoria University Press, 1989
• New Zealand Cyclopedia Co. 1897, The Cyclopedia of New Zealand
• NZHPT Buildings Field Record Form dated 1981 with later amendments c.1993.
• NZHPT Glossary.
• Briscoe, E. V.and P Mason; “Survey of reclamation Grey to Waring Taylor Street showing sections”
• Corner of Lambton Quay and Johnston Street, Wellington, with the Occidental Hotel. Tyree Studio:Negatives of Nelson and Marlborough districts. Ref: 1/2-003938-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.
• View of Lambton Quay, Wellington, looking towards the Midland Hotel. Original photographic prints and postcards from file print collection, Box 4. Ref: PAColl-5744-09. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.
• CITY IMPROVEMENTS. KIRKCALDIE & STAINS'S NEW PREMISES. Evening Post, 3 July 1897
• BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS. Evening Post, 25 July 1906
• “Motor Garage on the Roof of Kirkcaldie & Stain's New Building, Wellington.” Progress, 1 June 1909
• MR. JOHN KIRKCALDIE. Evening Post, 3 October 1925
• NEW BUILDINGS. Wellington Independent, 25 July 1868
• Progress June 1 1909
• THE GRINNELL SPRINKLER. Evening Post, 8 April 1924
• RECONSTITUTED FIRM Evening Post, 4 August 1931
• THE PLEASURES OF SHOPPING. Evening Post, 7 October 1909
• Wellington Independent, 5 December 1863
• “History”, Kirkcaldie and Stains’ website accessed October 2012
• “KRTA in Auckland”, Auckland University Architecture Archive website accessed October 2012
• Kirkcaldie and Stains and DIC buildings, Lambton Quay, Wellington. New Zealand Free Lance : Photographic prints and negatives. Ref: 1/2-100311-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.

• Inventory Report
• 1907 specifications and drawings

Not available