Miramar Bowling Club Pavilion and greens

Centennial Exhibition – fire station

75a Puriri Street, Miramar, Wellington
❰ ❱
Image: WCC - Charles Collins, 2015
Image: WCC - Charles Collins, 2015
Extent: Cityview GIS 2013
Extent: Cityview GIS 2013
1942 - The Centennial Exhibition buildings and fire station. National Library reference: Rows of Royal New Zealand Air Force members, Rongotai, Wellington. Evatt, G S: Photographs, chiefly regarding the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II. Ref: 1/2-106363-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22529245
1942 - The Centennial Exhibition buildings and fire station. 


National Library reference: "Rows of Royal New Zealand Air Force members, Rongotai, Wellington. Evatt, G S: Photographs, chiefly regarding the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II. Ref: 1/2-106363-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22529245 "

1940 - The Centennial Exhibition buildings and fire station. National Library reference: New Zealand Centennial Exhibition buildings, Rongotai, Wellington. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: 1/4-048873-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23077056
1940 - The Centennial Exhibition buildings and fire station. 


National Library reference: "New Zealand Centennial Exhibition buildings, Rongotai, Wellington. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: 1/4-048873-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23077056 "

1939 - plan of the Centennial buildings. The fire station is marked with the number
1939 - plan of the Centennial buildings. The fire station is marked with the number "2". 


National Library reference: "Plan of the Wellington Centennial Exhibition buildings. Burt, Gordon Onslow Hilbury, 1893-1968 :Negatives. Ref: 1/1-015667-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22758634  "

Map

  • Constructed

    1939 - 1939

  • Architect(s)

    Edmund Anscombe & Associates

  • Builder(s)

    Unknown

  • The Miramar Bowling Club Pavilion is a much-modified example of a Moderne-style festival pavilion that was constructed as a part of the 1939-1940 Centennial Exhibition.

    The pavilion is an example of the work of the well regarded New Zealand architect and leading exhibition designer, Edmund Anscombe, and is one of a suite of buildings that he designed for the Centennial Exhibition. The pavilion was built for the 1939-1940 Centennial Exhibition, which was one of this country’s greatest commemorative events. It is the sole surviving building of this important complex.

    The Pavilion has social value for its long-term recreational use as the clubrooms for the Miramar Bowling Club.

  • Downloadable(s)

    Download this content as PDF

  • close History

    • The Miramar Bowling Club begun in 1946 with one green, for use by men only. The club initially had a small pavilion but acquired its clubrooms from the Centennial Exhibition. The building had been the exhibition’s fire station.

      The Centennial Exhibition opened on 8 November 1939 and closed, on 4 May 1940, in the shadow of World War II. It was probably the largest single event the country had staged up to that point. The 55-hectare site featured exhibitions from many different countries as well as a celebration of New Zealand’s achievements in 100 years of nationhood.

      Edmund Anscombe was commissioned to design the huge complex and most of the buildings, prefabricated and temporary in construction, were erected in a very short period by an army of builders. Anscombe only intended the buildings to have a life of five years but they did have to meet existing building codes. He used what was then the cheapest building material available – painted asbestos cement in flat sheets and battens. The fire station was in operational use at the Exhibition and answered 83 call-outs.

      After the exhibition closed, the overseas pavilions were dismantled, while other buildings were converted into barracks by the Air Force. Following the fire in 1946, which destroyed many of the exhibition buildings, the remainder of the buildings were dismantled to make way for the expansion of Wellington Airport.

      In 1948 the Miramar Bowling Club acquired the fire station building. It was converted to house lockers, a bar and changing facilities. It has had verandahs attached to the front, aluminium windows fitted, and a number of alterations to the internal layout, but the building remains generally intact. It is still in use as the Bowling Club’s clubrooms.

    • Modifications close
      • 1939 - 1939
      • Construction of centennial exhibition fire station building
      • 1946 - 1946
      • WCC Archives ref 00056:328:B25584, 75 Darlington Road, pavilion, Legal description: Pt Lot 4 DP 6349. Owner: Miramar Bowling Club. Builder: J Craig. Application value: £55. Floor area: 600 square feet, Building Permit/Consent
      • 1948 - 1948
      • WCC Archives ref 00056:354:B272244 consent to relocate building
      • 1993 - 1993
      • WCC Archives ref 00060:28:1096, 75 Darlington Road, club rooms, Building Permit/Consent
    • Occupation History close

      Not assessed

  • close Architectural Information
    • Building Classification(s) close

      Not assessed

    • Architecture close

      The Miramar Bowling Club is a long, low building, facing north and overlooking the Club’s greens in Puriri Street. The building is single-storey and timber-framed, with cladding of textured plaster. The plaster has a seamless finish, the only change in the surface being a light thickening at the base of the walls for the foundation.

      Although the original plans for this building show a series of curved bays to the northern elevation (facing the bowling greens), the footprint of the building has since been simplified, and the insets between the bays have all been in-filled. Other recent alterations include the new aluminium windows and doors – that have no relation to the original fenestration scheme, and the new (c.1993) curved canopies over the windows and doors.

      The remaining features of the original building include the curved ends to the building at its northeast and northwest corners; the white plaster finish; and the low parapet that hides a shallow single-pitch roof. Interior spaces are modern, and there is no visible evidence of the original fire station function.

    • Materials close

      Aluminium framed windows

      Timber construction

      Textured plaster with a seamless finish

    • Setting close

      The building is discreetly sited down a lane off Puriri Street and amongst single-storey houses. It is barely seen from the road, so has no townscape value except in context of the playing greens. In its immediate setting, the open space of the greens allows the building to be seen in the round. The wider setting is southern Miramar, a predominantly residential area.

  • close Cultural Value

    The Miramar Bowling Club Pavilion is a much-modified example of a Moderne-style festival pavilion that was constructed as a part of the 1939-1940 Centennial Exhibition.

    The pavilion is an example of the work of the well regarded New Zealand architect and leading exhibition designer, Edmund Anscombe, and is one of a suite of buildings that he designed for the Centennial Exhibition. The pavilion was built for the 1939-1940 Centennial Exhibition, which was one of this country’s greatest commemorative events. It is the sole surviving building of this important complex.

    The Pavilion has social value for its long-term recreational use as the clubrooms for the Miramar Bowling Club.

    • 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?

        The Miramar Bowling Club Pavilion is a much-modified example of a Moderne-style festival pavilion that once formed part of the 1939-40 Centennial Exhibition.

      • 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 has some group value as one of a suite of buildings designed for the Centennial Exhibition. This value has been somewhat diminished by the loss of most of the complex to fire and development.

    • Historic Value close

      • Association

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

        The pavilion is an example of the work of the well regarded New Zealand architect and leading exhibition designer, Edmund Anscombe, and is one of a suite of buildings that he designed for the Centennial Exhibition.

      • Association

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

        The pavilion was built for the 1939 – 40 Centennial Exhibition, which was one of this country’s greatest commemorative events. It is the sole surviving building of this important complex.

    • Scientific Value close

      • Archaeological

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

        Unknown risk

      • Technological

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

        The Pavilion has technical value as its construction was typical of the whole complex of Exhibition structures. It gives an insight not only into the technology of the time but to the design aspirations of Edward Anscombe, an architect who was an influential figure in exhibition architecture.

    • Social Value close

      • Sentiment/Connection

        Is the item a focus of community sentiment and connection?

        The conversion of the pavilion from a fire station to a bowling club pavilion is a classic example of innovative, adaptive reuse that has allowed this building to survive more than 60 years beyond its expected life. As a result of this it has high community value as a local recreational facility.

    • Level of Cultural Heritage Significance close

      • Rare

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

        The pavilion is a rare surviving fragment from the Centennial Exhibition.

      • Importance

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

        The pavilion has local significance

    • Local / Regional / National / International Importance close

      Not assessed

  • close Site Detail

    • District Plan Number

      7/446

    • Legal Description

      Lot 1 DP 89983

    • Heritage New Zealand Listed

      Not listed

    • Archaeological Site

      Unknown risk

    • 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: 7/30/2017 10:17:48 PM