Dorset Street Flats
  • Read
    • The Architectural Review
    • Architecture 1820-1970
    • Atlas Of World Art
    • An Autobiography
    • At Home
    • Block Itinerary
    • Bulletin
    • Business South
    • Changing Times
    • Concrete
    • The Dictionary Of Art
    • The Elegant Shed
    • Europe, London and Alton West
    • Heritage New Zealand
    • A History Of NZ Architecture
    • Home And Building
    • Home New Zealand
    • Last Loneliest Loveliest
    • Long Live The Modern
    • Looking For The Local
    • The Modernist World
    • Neo-Avant-Garde and Postmodern
    • New Dreamland
    • New Territory
    • New Zealand Architect
    • New Zealand Architecture
    • NZ Architecture
    • NZ House & Garden
    • Ohinetahi
    • Practical Guide To Home Landscaping
    • Rolleston Avenue and Park Terrace >
      • Rolleston Avenue and Park Terrace Slideshow
    • Selected Architecture
    • The Press
    • Warren & Mahoney Architects
  • Look
    • The Original Drawings
  • Watch
    • The New Zealand Home (2016)
    • Brutal Beauty (2011)
    • New Zealand At Home (2006)
    • The Elegant Shed (1984)
  • Rebuild
  • Blog
  • Contact

February 29th, 2020

29/2/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Found while cleaning up the flats!
​

​Former 'ugliest' building in Chch put forward for heritage status

A block of Christchurch flats, once regarded as the "ugliest" building in the city, may get the highest level of heritage protection.

The Dorset St flats, designed and built by Sir Miles Warren in 1956 and 1957, was his first Christchurch project three years into his distinguished architectural career.

The New Zealand Historic Places Trust wants to give category one status to the flats.
Trust southern region general manager Malcolm Duff calls the flats "a bold statement of postwar architecture" that set the blueprint for modern design nationally.

Warren designed the eight one-bedroom flats for himself and three associates as owner-occupied accommodation, and a flat for each owner to let for income.

When built, Duff said they were soon dubbed "Fort Dorset" for their substantial concrete-block look.

"Tour buses would visit to view what were reputed to be the ugliest buildings in the city.”

However, Duff said they were greatly admired in architectural circles and came to distinguish the "Christchurch school" of postwar architecture that helped shape that type of design around the country.

Category one status was proposed because of their aesthetic, architectural, historical and technological significance, he said.

Warren said the move to recognise the building's history was "an excellent idea”.

"It's really the building that launched a number of ships: it really started modern postwar architecture here.”

He said the building's notoriety had been a "great honour" for him. "It speaks to the effrontery of youth, really.”

Trust heritage adviser Christine Whybrew said the flats marked the emergence of a new kind of residential living, and were recognised as one of the most important "modern-movement" buildings in New Zealand.

"Sir Miles took a total-design approach to the flats by designing built-in furniture and fittings and while there have been some internal alterations over the years, the flats retain many of their original features.”

Peter Howard, who owns the flat that Warren used to live in, said he chose it specifically because of the design.

"It really resonated to me from my childhood – I think most of the people living here identify with the architecture in some way.”

Howard said the "ugliest building" remark had to be understood in the context of the time. "Most of the other places at the time were red brick, red tile houses: people had never seen anything like it before.”

Public submissions on the flats' proposed status close on March 5. They will be reviewed before a final recommendation is put to the trust's board.



Glenn Conway, The Press, 20 February 2010.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Keep up to date by joining our Facebook page. Click on the icon above.

    Archives

    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2015-2023 dorsetstreetflats.com.  All permissions sought wherever possible.