Shed 5

Shed 5 The Crab Shack, Shed 5 Restaurant, Shed 5 Fish Market, ‘A’ Shed (renumbered in 1921)

Queen’s Wharf, Wellington, Wellington
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Image: Charles Collins, 2015
Image: WCC - Charles Collins, 2015
Image: Charles Collins, 2015
Image: WCC - Charles Collins, 2015
Cityview GIS 2013
Cityview GIS 2013
1887 Wellington Harbour Board Contract 37 to build ‘Shed A’ (Shed 5) on the middle tee of Queen’s Wharf.

1887 - Wellington Harbour Board Contract 37 to build ‘Shed A’ (Shed 5) on the middle tee of Queen’s Wharf. (WCC Archives)

1898 Wellington Harbour Board Contract 91 (approx 2o metre) extension to ‘Shed A’ (Shed 5)

1898 - Wellington Harbour Board Contract 91 (approx 2o metre) extension to ‘Shed A’ (Shed 5) (WCC Archives)

Map

  • Constructed

    1886 - 1887

  • Architect(s)

    Wellington Harbour Board Engineer - William Ferguson

  • Builder(s)

  • This is one of the oldest, best preserved examples of this once common shed type. Note its long narrow form, continuous ventilators along the roof ridge, and simple functional lines. The building is one of a group of heritage buildings used by the shipping industry and Wellington Harbour Board and was crucial to early Wellington’s economy.

    It now houses Shed 5 bar and restaurant. 

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  • close History

    • Under the 1852 NZ Constitution Act, provinces were given the responsibility of controlling harbour activities. With the abolition of the provinces in 1876, there followed a period of indecision and inefficiency. In 1878 the Harbours Act was passed, under which many of New Zealand’s harbour boards were established. Wellington had its own act, the Wellington Harbour Board Act of 1879, which created a body of appointees representing provincial and commercial interests. It first met on 20 February, 1880. One of the prime considerations for the new board was the provision of wharves and, in 1883, new Chief Engineer William Ferguson drew up a plan of wharf development which was largely followed for next 50 years. The Board also began a building programme. For the first ten years the Board built warehouses and stores, predominantly in timber, for the storage, organisation and distribution of the goods for which it was responsible. Within decades a range of timber buildings occupied all the wharves and jetties from Taranaki Street to Pipitea Wharf.

      One of these buildings was Shed 5, which was designed by Ferguson and built on the north side of Queens Wharf, which had itself just been extended. Work on the building began in 1886 and it was finished the following year. As was the case with so many of the wharf buildings it served no special purpose beyond the storage of goods.

      In 1964, the Wellington Harbour Board cleared two of the Queens Wharf sheds and then another in 1973 when it also removed the line of sheds along Jervois Quay. This left Sheds 3 and 5 as the oldest Harbour Board buildings; Shed 5 retains much of its external original built fabric, but Shed 3 has been much altered.

      Lambton Harbour Management was established in 1989 to develop the waterfront for a mixture of commercial and public uses and one of the first projects pursued was the conversion of Sheds 3 and 5 into restaurant bars. Shed 5 also became a fish market. A great many changes were made to the building, including a glazed addition to the east. The building reopened in November 1992. Ironically the building was largely unknown to the public until it acquired its new use.

      The building currently houses two restaurants that are held in the same ownership - ‘Shed 5’ and the ‘Crab Shack’ (2013). The property is let on a 25 year lease by Wellington Waterfront Ltd.

    • Modifications close
      • 1886 - 1887
      • Original construction
      • 2013 - 27888
      • SR 278884. BLDG CONSENT2.2 Commercial - Shed 5 - Crab Shack - Restaurant fit-out, division of existing restaurant/bar to form 2 restaurants.
    • Occupation History close
      • 1887
      • Wellington Harbour Board warehouse – Wellington Harbour Board warehouse (assumed)
      • c.1989
      • Restaurant / fish market
      • 2006
      • Shed 5 restaurant & bar
      • c.2013
      • Shed 5 restaurant & bar / the Crabshack
  • close Architectural Information
    • Building Classification(s) close

      Not assessed

    • Architecture close

      This Victorian maritime shed was refurbished in 1993-93 and significant alterations were made to the building’s fabric, including the addition of a large conservatory to the harbour side of the building and a complete re-modelling of the interior space. The outstanding original feature preserved on the building’s exterior is the long gabled lantern that runs the length of the roof and acts as a clerestory. The queen-post roof truss system in the interior is impressive, too. The shed is clad in rusticated weatherboards, boxed at the corners, and the roofs are sheathed in corrugated iron.

      This simple and functional building is one of the very few timber structures surviving on the Wellington waterfront and makes a valuable contribution to the character of the Queen’s Wharf area.

    • Materials close

      Timber structure

      Timber rusticated weatherboard cladding

    • Setting close

      Shed 5 is located on the Wellington waterfront and serves as a waterside bar/restaurant. The building is set within a precinct of original harbour board buildings and wharves, modern retail/commercial buildings and the TSB Arena sports/entertainment venue.

      The most notable heritage buildings in the near vicinity of Shed 5 include its near neighbour, Shed 3, and the group of buildings and objects that make up the adjacent Post Office Square Heritage Area. This heritage area includes two sets of harbour board railings and gates (1899), a telephone box (c.1938) and post box (c.1879-1910), the diminutive Clarrie Gibbon’s building/former tram shed and traffic island (1912), Head Office and Bond Store (Museum of Wellington - City and Sea, 1891-92), Shed 7 /former Harbour Board Offices & woolstore (1896), Shed 11 (1904-05), Shed 13 (1904-05), Huddart Parker Building, 2-6 Jervois Quay (1924), and the Tower Building, 50 – 64 Customhouse Quay (1936).

  • close Cultural Value

    Shed 5 is a very good example of a style of shed building – long narrow form, continuous ventilator along the ridge of the roof, and simple functional lines – that was once common on the wharfs and is now rare

    The building is one of a group of heritage buildings and objects that have an association with the Wellington Harbour Board and contribute to the character of the Wellington waterfront.

    Shed 5 has historic value for its association with the shipping industry and harbour board, both of which were crucial to the economic life of early Wellington. The building is one of the oldest, and best preserved, remaining examples of a building type that was fundamental to the operation of the wharves.

    • Aesthetic Value close

      • 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?

        Shed 5 is a very good example of a style of shed building – long narrow form, continuous ventilator along the ridge of the roof, and simple functional lines – that was once common on the wharfs and is now rare.

      • 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 building is one of a group of heritage buildings and objects that have an association with the Wellington Harbour Board and contribute to the character of the Wellington waterfront.

    • Historic Value close

      • Association

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

        Shed 5 has historic value for its association with the shipping industry and harbour board, both of which were crucial to the economic life of early Wellington. The building is one of the oldest, and best preserved, remaining examples of a building type that was fundamental to the operation of the wharves.

      • Association

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

        Shed 5 was designed by Wellington Harbour Board Engineer – William Ferguson 

    • Scientific Value close

      • Archaeological

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

        Pre 1900 building; Pre 1900 reclaimed land; Central City NZAA R27/270

      • Technological

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

        There is some technical value in the original fabric, particularly the roof trusses.

    • Social Value close

      • 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 building exterior has had few intrusive modern alterations over the past 100 years (with the notable exception of the conservatory addition) and contributes to the sense of place and continuity of the Wellington waterfront.

      • Sentiment/Connection

        Is the item a focus of community sentiment and connection?

        The building is in ongoing use as a bar/restaurant and is likely to be a focus of community sentiment and connection for bar and restaurant patrons and for the many people who have attended corporate and social events at this venue over the years.

    • Level of Cultural Heritage Significance close

      • 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 building exterior retains much of its original built fabric

      • Rare

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

        Shed 5 has rarity value as the oldest remaining Wellington Harbour Board shed/warehouse.

      • Representative

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

        Shed 5 is a good representative example of a timber framed waterfront shed, of which many were built but few survive.

    • Local / Regional / National / International Importance close

      Not assessed

  • close Site Detail

    • District Plan Number

      17/ 257 (This item is listed for information purposes only. The jurisdiction for this item under the RMA 1991 lies with the Wellington Regional Council)

    • Legal Description

      None

    • Heritage New Zealand Listed

      Not listed (contributing element to proposed Wellington Harbour Board Historic Area 7036)

    • Archaeological Site

      Pre 1900 building; Pre 1900 reclaimed land; Central City NZAA R27/270

    • Current Uses

      unknown

    • Former Uses

      unknown

    • Has building been funded

      No

    • Funding Amount

      Not applicable

    • Earthquake Prone Status

      Not Earthquake Prone

  • close Additional Information

Last updated: 12/20/2016 12:42:07 AM