Commercial Building

34 Willis Street

35 Willis Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Image: WCC - Charles Collins, 2015
Image: WCC - Charles Collins, 2015
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  • Constructed

    1906

  • Architect(s)

    William Charles Chatfield

  • Builder(s)

    Unknown

  • 35 Willis Street is a good representative example of an Edwardian Classical commercial building of a type that was once common on Lambton Quay and Willis Street. The building façade is well modelled, with deeply set windows, and retains much of its original ornamentation with the exception of the pediment and parapet that were removed in 1955. 

    The building’s history is typical of the many shops and restaurants and commercial enterprises that once lined Willis Street. 

    The building is part of the Chews Lane redevelopment that has refurbished the pedestrian walkway between Willis and Victoria Street. 

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  • close History

    • 35 Willis Street was constructed in 1906 as a piano warehouse and showroom. It was designed by William Chatfield for landowner Mr F. Grace, a Wellington merchant. The land on which the building is sited was part of the 1857-63 reclamation that created most of the land to the east of Willis Street. The original 150ft long section once ran from Willis Street through to the waterfront at Lambton Harbour, until further reclamations created the land to Victoria Street and Jervois Quay. The site was occupied by at least 1887, and the Brunswick Restaurant, owned by Mrs Knigge, was a long term tenant from at least 1888. The restaurant, a seven room timber building, was removed or demolished to make way for the new piano showroom in June 1906.

      The new building was occupied by a branch of the British and Continental Piano Co., a business that was established in Auckland and traded from 1892-1921. The Wellington showroom closed in 1916, and this was shortly after the street address of the property changed from 34 Willis Street to 35 Willis Street in October 1909. The next tenant was Messrs Hart and Co. in 1916, and they cut a “great arch through a three foot brick wall” to connect through to their existing drapers and department store at the ground floor of the adjacent Caledonian Chambers at 31 Willis Street. The shop window at 35 Willis Street was filled with a display of “unbreakable American dolls…which smile and smirk on prince and pauper alike...” This was followed by the opening of the Majestic Restaurant that was operated by Messrs Kurta and Jakish and occupied the building from 1927-32.

      There were a series of short-term tenants during the depression years of the 1930s, including a watchmaker, a “Kash & Karry”, an institute of hairdressing and beauty, and a restaurant. The first long term tenant was Madame Dawne, a dressmaker, who occupied the building from 1937 until at least 1944.

      The building survived the 1942 Wairarapa and Wellington earthquake but the pediment and the decorative parapet were removed in 1955 and the verandah replaced, all to a design by King, Cook & Dawson. It was purchased by the Wellington City Council in 1996 and became part of the Willis Bond & Co. Chews Lane Precinct development that opened in 2009.

      In 2011 works to install a new sewer pipe under the road revealed the remains of a hangi pit, and remnants of 1900 tramlines directly in front of 35 Willis Street. This indicates a varied history of human activity on any parts of the site along the original shoreline.


    • Modifications close
      • 1906
      • Construction
      • 1955
      • Removal of parapet and pediment, replacement of verandah
      • 2009
      • Incorporated into the Chews Lane Precinct redevelopment
    • Occupation History close
      • 1906
      • British and Continental Piano Co.
      • 1916
      • Messrs Hart and Co. in 1916 extended their premises at 31 Willis Street.
      • 1927 - 1932
      • Majestic Restaurant operated by Messrs Kurta and Jakish.
      • 1933
      • E.A. Cattin Watchmaker moved out of the premises
      • 1934
      • Kissin’s Kash & Karry Mart wound up
      • 1934
      • The New Zealand Institute of Hairdressing and Beauty Culture occupied the building.
      • 1935 - 1937
      • The property operated as Astor House, Ltd and advertised regularly for waitresses
      • 1937
      • Madame Dawne a dressmaker
      • 1985
      • Polynesian Airlines
  • close Architectural Information
    • Building Classification(s) close

      Not assessed

    • Architecture close

      35 Willis Street is a three storey Edwardian Classical commercial building. Although the ground floor features a modern shop-front, the shop interior (in 2012) included a fine plastered ceiling and ceiling “rose” ventilators. The timber t&g interior wall linings that were visible in 2006 are no longer evident, and may have been over-clad with a plasterboard finish.

      The building exterior uses a mix of Classical decorative elements to create a lively and deeply modelled façade. The first floor windows are a group of deeply set casements framed by an ornate pair of brackets that cut into the glazing of the top lights. The central pair of casements are framed by a pair of Doric columns that are topped by a pair of brackets that hold a large triangular pediment. The second floor windows feature less ornamentation, but are deeply set and well articulated. The parapet is topped by a dentilled cornice, the original ornamental pediment and parapet was removed in 1955. The street façade is somewhat disfigured by a modern metal fire escape.

    • Materials close

      Brick masonry walls with a timber framed roof structure

      Concrete foundations

      Steel girders or joists

    • Setting close

      The building is part of the Chews Lane Precinct development that runs from 29 to 53 Willis Street. At the north of the development is Caledonian Chambers with its pleasant Art Deco façade that is of similar proportions to the Edwardian Classical façade of 35 Willis Street. To the south is the modern six storey glass curtain wall building that adjoins the newly refurbished Chews Lane.

  • close Cultural Value

    35 Willis Street is a good representative example of an Edwardian Classical commercial building of a type that was once common on Lambton Quay and Willis Street. The building façade is well modelled, with deeply set windows, and retains much of its original ornamentation with the exception of the pediment and parapet that were removed in 1955.

    The building’s history is typical of the many shops and restaurants and commercial enterprises that once lined Willis Street.

    The building is part of the Chews Lane redevelopment that has refurbished the pedestrian walkway between Willis and Victoria Street.

    • 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?

        35 Willis Street is a good representative example of an Edwardian Classical commercial building of a type that was once common on Lambton Quay and Willis Street. The building façade is well modelled, with deeply set windows, and retains much of its original ornamentation.

      • 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 part of the Chews Lane redevelopment that has refurbished the pedestrian walkway between Willis and Victoria Street.

    • Historic Value close

      • Association

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

        The building’s history is typical of the many shops and restaurants and commercial enterprises that once lined Willis Street.

    • Scientific Value close

      • Archaeological

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

        The site is known to have pre-1900 human activity and has archaeological value – it is included in the NZAA Central City archaeological area R27/270.

    • 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 has had few intrusive modern alterations or additions over the past 100 years and contributes to the sense of place and continuity of Willis Street.

    • 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 façade has had few intrusive modern alterations or repairs and retains most of the original building fabric with the exception of the ground floor shop fronts and the parapet/pediment.

    • Local / Regional / National / International Importance close

      Not assessed

  • close Site Detail

    • District Plan Number

      17/ 369

    • Legal Description

      Lot 1 Deposited Plan 389044

    • Heritage New Zealand Listed

      None 2012

    • Archaeological Site

      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

      Outside Earthquake Prone Policy

  • close Additional Information

Last updated: 7/6/2017 4:15:59 AM