The magazine of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga features the Dorset Street Flats in their Spring 2024 issue "Exploring the List" section.
Ahead of their time
Once derided for their radical architecture, the Dorset Street Flats in central Christchurch paved the way for a new post-war style of modern urban living
Sometimes a building comes along that completely transforms the architectural landscape. The Dorset Street Flats complex, a Category 1 historic place comprising eight one-bedroom apartments divided over two buildings in Christchurch’s central city, was one of them. An early design of renowned New Zealand architect Sir Miles Warren, the flats have been recognised as one of the most important examples of post- war modernist architecture in the country.
However, while critics and other architects lauded Sir Miles’s design, others weren’t so sure. When the flats were built between 1956 and 1957, their industrial materials and severe lines were in stark contrast to Christchurch’s old Edwardian and Victorian houses, and earned them
the reputation of being one of the ugliest buildings in the city. Busloads of bemused residents would drive past to view – and jeer at – ‘Fort Dorset’ and its radical, prison-block-like appearance.
Sir Miles had worked in the UK in the early 1950s during the birth of New Brutalism, and was also influenced by Le Corbusier in France and Danish architects in Copenhagen. Since Sir Miles designed the flats for himself and his friends (he lived at number four from 1958 to 1965), he was free to explore his personal architectural style, and he merged the ideas he had picked up in the UK and Europe to create his own concept for modern, minimalist, purpose-designed residential living for young single professionals.
The Brutalist influence is displayed in the flats’ axial planning, concrete beams, contrasting textures, negative detailing and bold colours, while built-in fittings and furniture showcase the architect’s love of total design. Additionally, as Sir Miles considered masonry construction to be well suited to Christchurch’s climate, the flats demonstrate one of the earliest attempts to construct a New Zealand building from load-bearing concrete blocks.
Christine Whybrew, Director Southern Region at Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, says the flats set new architectural, social and aesthetic standards for domestic buildings in New Zealand.
“[Sir Miles] Warren pioneered a building type that influenced urban housing in post-war Christchurch, and references to this model continue in high-density dwellings today.”
Sir Miles's avant-garde design certainly appealed to Craig Garlick, who rented one of the flats for a few years as a young man just out of university in the mid-1980s.
“It was completely different from anything else I’d seen,” he says. Craig went on to buy another of the flats in 2007 (he now owns three, including Sir Miles's).
“By the time I bought the first one I knew about the history of the buildings, but I still didn’t really appreciate the flats’ significance.”
That appreciation came later when, following the devastating 2011 earthquake, Craig and the other owners came together to save the buildings from demolition.
“The flats didn’t fare well,” he says. “The concrete blockwork cracked and in parts collapsed, and the land under the buildings liquefied, causing them to slump in the middle. We were unanimous in our desire to repair and restore them, but we had no idea how long, difficult and expensive the process would be.”
Mired in insurance delays and red tape, the flats sat derelict until 2019, when architect Greg Young of Young Architects finalised a repair strategy and broke ground on the rebuild.
He was the perfect choice, having earlier worked for both architects Warren & Mahoney and the building’s original engineers, Holmes Consulting.
“He was extremely passionate about mid-century modern architecture, so was the ideal person to lead the repair and project manage it,” says Craig.
The project initially aimed to just repair the earthquake damage, but evolved into also upgrading the flats to modern living standards. Grouting was slowly injected underneath the buildings to bring them back into alignment, and new concrete pads were added to each block (along with underfloor heating). Thick structural walls were installed in each flat, providing vertical rigidity (the restoration and repair seismically strengthened the flats to 70 percent of the New Building Standards).
“We modernised the kitchens and bathrooms but kept as much of the original fabric of the building as possible,” says Craig.
The project took two years, and in April 2022 – 11 years after the destructive Canterbury earthquakes – the flats were finally handed back to the owners.
“That was a great day,” says Craig. “We opened two of the flats to the public during Open Christchurch not long after. We thought they deserved to be seen.”
The experts thought so too: the restoration project won a heritage award at the 2023 New Zealand Architecture Awards.
Campbell Johnson bought one of the restored Dorset Street Flats last year.
“I love the juxtaposition of materials – concrete block walls and timber batten ceilings with cork and ceramic tile flooring – which has been enhanced by an exposed shuttered concrete structural wall added during the repair.”
He says that much of the inbuilt furniture that had been removed before the construction was reinstated – with the addition of a few up-to-date kitchen appliances.
“My flat has many of its original features, such as an inbuilt living-room timber bookshelf, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom cabinetry and the terrazzo shower base, around which modern kitchen and bathroom conveniences like a dishwasher, microwave and induction hob have been cleverly integrated.”
Campbell says the flats’ heritage significance was a big factor in his decision to buy.
“Once I fully appreciated how important the flats are to New Zealand, as well as the extent of the earthquake repairs, I just knew I had to own one.”
Search the listing number at heritage.org.nz/places to read more.
Words: ANNA DUNLOP. Imagery: DENNIS RADERMACHER
ANNA DUNLOP (ed), “Heritage New Zealand”, Issue 174, Spring 2024, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, 2024. ISSN: 1175-9615, pp8-9.
Ahead of their time
Once derided for their radical architecture, the Dorset Street Flats in central Christchurch paved the way for a new post-war style of modern urban living
Sometimes a building comes along that completely transforms the architectural landscape. The Dorset Street Flats complex, a Category 1 historic place comprising eight one-bedroom apartments divided over two buildings in Christchurch’s central city, was one of them. An early design of renowned New Zealand architect Sir Miles Warren, the flats have been recognised as one of the most important examples of post- war modernist architecture in the country.
However, while critics and other architects lauded Sir Miles’s design, others weren’t so sure. When the flats were built between 1956 and 1957, their industrial materials and severe lines were in stark contrast to Christchurch’s old Edwardian and Victorian houses, and earned them
the reputation of being one of the ugliest buildings in the city. Busloads of bemused residents would drive past to view – and jeer at – ‘Fort Dorset’ and its radical, prison-block-like appearance.
Sir Miles had worked in the UK in the early 1950s during the birth of New Brutalism, and was also influenced by Le Corbusier in France and Danish architects in Copenhagen. Since Sir Miles designed the flats for himself and his friends (he lived at number four from 1958 to 1965), he was free to explore his personal architectural style, and he merged the ideas he had picked up in the UK and Europe to create his own concept for modern, minimalist, purpose-designed residential living for young single professionals.
The Brutalist influence is displayed in the flats’ axial planning, concrete beams, contrasting textures, negative detailing and bold colours, while built-in fittings and furniture showcase the architect’s love of total design. Additionally, as Sir Miles considered masonry construction to be well suited to Christchurch’s climate, the flats demonstrate one of the earliest attempts to construct a New Zealand building from load-bearing concrete blocks.
Christine Whybrew, Director Southern Region at Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, says the flats set new architectural, social and aesthetic standards for domestic buildings in New Zealand.
“[Sir Miles] Warren pioneered a building type that influenced urban housing in post-war Christchurch, and references to this model continue in high-density dwellings today.”
Sir Miles's avant-garde design certainly appealed to Craig Garlick, who rented one of the flats for a few years as a young man just out of university in the mid-1980s.
“It was completely different from anything else I’d seen,” he says. Craig went on to buy another of the flats in 2007 (he now owns three, including Sir Miles's).
“By the time I bought the first one I knew about the history of the buildings, but I still didn’t really appreciate the flats’ significance.”
That appreciation came later when, following the devastating 2011 earthquake, Craig and the other owners came together to save the buildings from demolition.
“The flats didn’t fare well,” he says. “The concrete blockwork cracked and in parts collapsed, and the land under the buildings liquefied, causing them to slump in the middle. We were unanimous in our desire to repair and restore them, but we had no idea how long, difficult and expensive the process would be.”
Mired in insurance delays and red tape, the flats sat derelict until 2019, when architect Greg Young of Young Architects finalised a repair strategy and broke ground on the rebuild.
He was the perfect choice, having earlier worked for both architects Warren & Mahoney and the building’s original engineers, Holmes Consulting.
“He was extremely passionate about mid-century modern architecture, so was the ideal person to lead the repair and project manage it,” says Craig.
The project initially aimed to just repair the earthquake damage, but evolved into also upgrading the flats to modern living standards. Grouting was slowly injected underneath the buildings to bring them back into alignment, and new concrete pads were added to each block (along with underfloor heating). Thick structural walls were installed in each flat, providing vertical rigidity (the restoration and repair seismically strengthened the flats to 70 percent of the New Building Standards).
“We modernised the kitchens and bathrooms but kept as much of the original fabric of the building as possible,” says Craig.
The project took two years, and in April 2022 – 11 years after the destructive Canterbury earthquakes – the flats were finally handed back to the owners.
“That was a great day,” says Craig. “We opened two of the flats to the public during Open Christchurch not long after. We thought they deserved to be seen.”
The experts thought so too: the restoration project won a heritage award at the 2023 New Zealand Architecture Awards.
Campbell Johnson bought one of the restored Dorset Street Flats last year.
“I love the juxtaposition of materials – concrete block walls and timber batten ceilings with cork and ceramic tile flooring – which has been enhanced by an exposed shuttered concrete structural wall added during the repair.”
He says that much of the inbuilt furniture that had been removed before the construction was reinstated – with the addition of a few up-to-date kitchen appliances.
“My flat has many of its original features, such as an inbuilt living-room timber bookshelf, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom cabinetry and the terrazzo shower base, around which modern kitchen and bathroom conveniences like a dishwasher, microwave and induction hob have been cleverly integrated.”
Campbell says the flats’ heritage significance was a big factor in his decision to buy.
“Once I fully appreciated how important the flats are to New Zealand, as well as the extent of the earthquake repairs, I just knew I had to own one.”
Search the listing number at heritage.org.nz/places to read more.
Words: ANNA DUNLOP. Imagery: DENNIS RADERMACHER
ANNA DUNLOP (ed), “Heritage New Zealand”, Issue 174, Spring 2024, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, 2024. ISSN: 1175-9615, pp8-9.
Heritage New Zealand's monthly newsletter for June 2022 reports on the Christchurch office staff visiting the completed Dorset Street Flats.
Miles Warren-designed Dorset Street flats restored
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga staff from the Christchurch office enjoyed a recent visit to the newly restored Dorset Street Flats.
Listed as a Category 1 Historic Place on Rārangi Kōrero/The New Zealand Heritage List, these flats were designed by a young Miles Warren. Built from 1956-57, they launched an architectural style that came to be known as the ‘Christchurch School’ of post-war architecture and shaped national modernist architectural design for over two decades.
At the time of the Canterbury earthquakes, the flats were split between seven owners and five different insurance companies. With this complicated situation, the flats lay in limbo for several years. After insurance was settled and handed over to owners to self-manage, the project took a year of planning and has now been completed after two and a half years of construction.
Owner of Sir Miles’ old flat, Craig Garlick, is thrilled to see such a positive outcome: "It's been a long slog, frustrating at times, but totally worth it to achieve such a great result. These buildings are such an important part of our national story in terms of design and architecture, and even in the way urban people chose to live.”
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Christchurch Area manager, Fiona Wykes, enjoyed seeing the interior restoration details during her visit. “It is fantastic to see the restoration of the built-in furniture that was such a part of Warren’s interest in total design as well as the clever incorporation of earthquake strengthening and modern living requirements.”
At the Recent Open Christchurch weekend, the public took up the rare opportunity to tour these unique flats with enthusiasm. And if you like the sound of living in a central city mid-century flat, several of the flats are now available to rent.
ROSEMARY BAIRD, “Heritage This Month”, June 2022, Heritage New Zealand, https://www.heritage.org.nz/news-and-events/blog/miles-warren-designed-dorset-st-flats-restored
Miles Warren-designed Dorset Street flats restored
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga staff from the Christchurch office enjoyed a recent visit to the newly restored Dorset Street Flats.
Listed as a Category 1 Historic Place on Rārangi Kōrero/The New Zealand Heritage List, these flats were designed by a young Miles Warren. Built from 1956-57, they launched an architectural style that came to be known as the ‘Christchurch School’ of post-war architecture and shaped national modernist architectural design for over two decades.
At the time of the Canterbury earthquakes, the flats were split between seven owners and five different insurance companies. With this complicated situation, the flats lay in limbo for several years. After insurance was settled and handed over to owners to self-manage, the project took a year of planning and has now been completed after two and a half years of construction.
Owner of Sir Miles’ old flat, Craig Garlick, is thrilled to see such a positive outcome: "It's been a long slog, frustrating at times, but totally worth it to achieve such a great result. These buildings are such an important part of our national story in terms of design and architecture, and even in the way urban people chose to live.”
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Christchurch Area manager, Fiona Wykes, enjoyed seeing the interior restoration details during her visit. “It is fantastic to see the restoration of the built-in furniture that was such a part of Warren’s interest in total design as well as the clever incorporation of earthquake strengthening and modern living requirements.”
At the Recent Open Christchurch weekend, the public took up the rare opportunity to tour these unique flats with enthusiasm. And if you like the sound of living in a central city mid-century flat, several of the flats are now available to rent.
ROSEMARY BAIRD, “Heritage This Month”, June 2022, Heritage New Zealand, https://www.heritage.org.nz/news-and-events/blog/miles-warren-designed-dorset-st-flats-restored
The magazine of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust marks the awarding of Category 1 status for the Dorset Street Flats in May 2010.
Architecture of the Avant-Garde
Before its time in its simplicity and use of industrial materials, a block of Christchurch flats has now been recognised as a milestone in mid-20th-century architecture.
Sir Miles Warren’s Dorset Street flats (one of the architect’s earliest designs) were built in 1956-57 and were described back then as “one of the ugliest buildings in the city”. Busloads of jeerers drove past and for a while the flats were known as Fort Dorset and their Corbusier and new brutalist-inspired detailing compared to a prison block.
However, the building’s compact, integrated, clean-lined elegance and effective use of mundane concrete Vibrapac cinder blocks created a sense of efficiency, security and reassurance. It was the first in the Christchurch style of modernism - low and sturdy against the Canterbury winters and in stark contrast to Plischke’s airy wood-and-glass Bauhaus manner or the old Edwardian and Victorian houses. In May this year it was honoured with Category 1 historic places status.
Reading the times exactly, Sir Miles provided a new kind of residential living in New Zealand: compact, purpose-designed, modern, modest-sized, one-bedroomed flats for independent urban singles with few possessions. He designed built-in furniture and fittings for all the flats, reflecting his passion for total design. They became the inspiration for many single and multi-unit houses in the city. Commonplace now, Warren & Mahoney’s use of load-bearing concrete block was revolutionary.
Sir Miles writes of this in his 2008 autobiography: “Like most young New Zealand architects coming to Europe for the first time, I discovered a sense of the solidity of masonry walls - their weight, their load-bearing capacity, their sense of enclosure, all in marked contrast to our thin 4 x 2-inch partition walls”. The Christchurch City Council was so concerned about stability (the Napier earthquake was still a far-from-distant memory for New Zealanders) that it insisted on reinforced-concrete columns for additional support.
When interviewed by the Christchurch Art Gallery Bulletin on the occasion of the gallery’s Warren retrospective (Miles: A life in architecture, 2009), owner of the flats and former resident David Turner had this to say: “Miles’ choice of materials, colours and building-style brought a breath of fresh air to the staid and rather ordinary architecture of the day. He gave a huge amount of thought to how people would live in these spaces and he provided the necessary tools for them to live in a modern way.
“The front of the living-room area has a huge glass door which slides back to give a great indoor/outdoor flow and the bedroom has a glass Dutch (two-part) door that allows access to the courtyard garden. The concrete beams give a sense of solidity and in their battleship-grey colour look almost industrial. With their timber slatted ceilings over a dark base, the downstairs flats have a very cosy and comfortable, almost cosseted, feel”.
The expert consensus is clear. These buildings are a special taonga in the canon of New Zealand modernist architecture.
ANDREW PAUL WOOD
BETTE FLAGLER (ed), “New Zealand Heritage”, Spring 2010, New Zealand Historic Places Trust, 2010. ISSN: 1175-9615, p 9.
Architecture of the Avant-Garde
Before its time in its simplicity and use of industrial materials, a block of Christchurch flats has now been recognised as a milestone in mid-20th-century architecture.
Sir Miles Warren’s Dorset Street flats (one of the architect’s earliest designs) were built in 1956-57 and were described back then as “one of the ugliest buildings in the city”. Busloads of jeerers drove past and for a while the flats were known as Fort Dorset and their Corbusier and new brutalist-inspired detailing compared to a prison block.
However, the building’s compact, integrated, clean-lined elegance and effective use of mundane concrete Vibrapac cinder blocks created a sense of efficiency, security and reassurance. It was the first in the Christchurch style of modernism - low and sturdy against the Canterbury winters and in stark contrast to Plischke’s airy wood-and-glass Bauhaus manner or the old Edwardian and Victorian houses. In May this year it was honoured with Category 1 historic places status.
Reading the times exactly, Sir Miles provided a new kind of residential living in New Zealand: compact, purpose-designed, modern, modest-sized, one-bedroomed flats for independent urban singles with few possessions. He designed built-in furniture and fittings for all the flats, reflecting his passion for total design. They became the inspiration for many single and multi-unit houses in the city. Commonplace now, Warren & Mahoney’s use of load-bearing concrete block was revolutionary.
Sir Miles writes of this in his 2008 autobiography: “Like most young New Zealand architects coming to Europe for the first time, I discovered a sense of the solidity of masonry walls - their weight, their load-bearing capacity, their sense of enclosure, all in marked contrast to our thin 4 x 2-inch partition walls”. The Christchurch City Council was so concerned about stability (the Napier earthquake was still a far-from-distant memory for New Zealanders) that it insisted on reinforced-concrete columns for additional support.
When interviewed by the Christchurch Art Gallery Bulletin on the occasion of the gallery’s Warren retrospective (Miles: A life in architecture, 2009), owner of the flats and former resident David Turner had this to say: “Miles’ choice of materials, colours and building-style brought a breath of fresh air to the staid and rather ordinary architecture of the day. He gave a huge amount of thought to how people would live in these spaces and he provided the necessary tools for them to live in a modern way.
“The front of the living-room area has a huge glass door which slides back to give a great indoor/outdoor flow and the bedroom has a glass Dutch (two-part) door that allows access to the courtyard garden. The concrete beams give a sense of solidity and in their battleship-grey colour look almost industrial. With their timber slatted ceilings over a dark base, the downstairs flats have a very cosy and comfortable, almost cosseted, feel”.
The expert consensus is clear. These buildings are a special taonga in the canon of New Zealand modernist architecture.
ANDREW PAUL WOOD
BETTE FLAGLER (ed), “New Zealand Heritage”, Spring 2010, New Zealand Historic Places Trust, 2010. ISSN: 1175-9615, p 9.
