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Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Theatre past its heyday, planner says
A planner's recommendation could clear the way for the University of Otago to demolish an award-winning lecture theatre. As part of proposed changes to the district plan, the Dunedin City Council has identified 146 buildings which are protected under the heritage schedule. Following hearings last month, council planner Peter Rawson recommended six of the buildings be removed from the list, including the University of Otago's Archway Lecture Theatre. Mr Rawson accepted the university's view the theatres were no longer fit for education and refurbishment was not possible. The university's evidence indicated scheduling the building would have a high cost and "constrain their ability to operate efficiently and effectively". "Therefore, I consider that the costs of scheduling the Archway Theatres building outweigh the benefits, and it should not be scheduled as a heritage building." Vice-chancellor Grant Robertson said yesterday the university was "highly supportive" of the recommendation, which aligned with its submission to the hearing panel. In his written submission, he asked for the building not to be included on the heritage list, saying the university was considering demolishing the theatres and the neighbouring Gregory Building — possibly replacing them with a formal garden space. Victoria University of Wellington senior architecture lecturer Christine McCarthy opposed the building's demolition, and said the recommendation was extremely sad. "It is such a progressive, innovative and challenging building that embodies the ethos of what a university would hopefully be striving for. "It's a shame that these values don't appear to be appreciated and that the architecture has been only understood superficially and conservatively." The Archway Lecture Theatre building was built in 1974, designed by notable Dunedin architect Ted McCoy, and won a New Zealand Institute of Architects Southern Architecture Award for enduring architecture in 2020. Mr Rawson also recommended proposed protection be dropped for the Lookout Point Fire Station, saying scheduling it could prevent Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) providing a fit-for-purpose fire station. In October, the council granted a certificate of compliance for the demolition of the building and an unattached accommodation block, meaning Fenz had a five-year period in which it could demolish the buildings, regardless of heritage protection. Protecting the building could have the "perverse outcome" of encouraging Fenz to demolish within that period, Mr Rawson said. Council city development manager Anna Johnson said a decision on the heritage plan change was expected to be released next month. "The second hearing will address the remainder of the matters covered by Plan Change 1 and will likely be in August 2025 — a separate decision would be released for this hearing."
Otago Daily Times
10-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Archway lecture theatre: Treasure or toilet block?
An award-winning Otago University lecture theatre slated for demolition has been slammed as "hideous", "fugly as hell" and looking like "a toilet block". The Otago Daily Times yesterday reported that the Dunedin City Council was considering stepping in to save the Archway Lecture Theatre building from the wrecking ball. University wants to demo building The building is on a draft list of 146 to be protected under changes to the district plan, but university vice-chancellor Grant Robertson wants it down. What do you think of the building? Let us know The building went up in 1974 and won a New Zealand Institute of Architects Southern Architecture Award for Enduring Architecture in 2020. In a heritage assessment report the DCC said: "This building is both unique and special to Dunedin. It also contributes to a nationwide body of Brutalist architecture." However, many ODT readers have expressed far less favourable views of the building. Former student Jeremy Callander didn't hold back "I think I speak for every single human being that has ever had to sit through a lecture or an exam in the Archway Lecture Theatre, when I say that the Archway Lecture Theatre the worst. "The Richardson Building looks like a maximum security prison. The Commerce Building looks like the administration block of a maximum security prison at mardi gras. But the Archway Lecture Theatre takes the cake: it looks like a toilet block. "Ooooh, it won a prize did it? News flash: you can pin a ribbon on a giant cow turd - doesn't make it cheese cake. "To the university: just tear the damn thing down. You can ask for forgiveness later." Readers on social media also had frank views on the building. One called it "the ugliest building in education", another called it "hideous", and someone else said it was "fugly as hell. Bowl the bloody thing." A minority of commenters wanted the building kept. University music lecturer Andrew Perkins said: "They're wonderful, very well designed, and have everything going for them. I've been lecturing in them the past few years, and they're great!" Another person said they loved Archway's "cheesy brutalist style. Keep Dunedin weird and leave it alone". Mark Baxter, a life member of the Otago University Students Association, said it was "the only strongly Brutalist building left on the campus and is part of a set of very different architectural styles from different ages closely grouped together making an architectural history of NZ display, hence I think it'd be an architectural crime to demolish them". - APL
Otago Daily Times
09-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
DCC may thwart plan to demolish 'unique and special' lecture theatres
Plans to demolish award winning University of Otago lecture theatres have hit a snag as the city council moves to protect the building. The Dunedin City Council has included the Archway Lecture Theatre building on a draft list of 146 buildings to be protected under changes to the district plan. The council's heritage assessment says the building is unique, special and "without comparison" in Dunedin. However, the University of Otago says the building represents the "poorest quality" lecture theatres on campus and demolition had been on the cards for at least 15 years. The proposed heritage changes will be considered at a hearing beginning on May 19. In his written evidence, vice-chancellor Grant Robertson asked for the building not to be included on the list, saying the university was considering demolishing the theatres and the neighbouring Gregory Building — possibly replacing them with a formal garden space. The university wanted to "maximise the value" of neo-gothic buildings on campus by developing the Union St entranceway, he said. In March, Mr Robertson confirmed he was planning to move a significant proportion of the staff in the Clocktower building — including himself — into the consumer and applied science building. "A formal garden space connecting the [consumer and applied sciences] building with Union St and the gothic heritage buildings of the Clocktower precinct, for example, offers a substantial enhancement to the university's heritage campus," he said. "The Archway Lecture Theatres are a barrier to this entranceway." The 2010 Campus Master Plan suggested removing the building in favour of a new teaching centre. However, following the Covid pandemic and "the changing nature of teaching and learning", the centre was not required. Rather, the university had an "abundance of building space". The Archway Lecture Theatre building was built in 1974, designed by notable Dunedin architect Ted McCoy, and won a New Zealand Institute of Architects Southern Architecture Award for Enduring Architecture in 2020. The council's heritage assessment report proposed the entire external envelope and internal corridor be protected. "When considered alongside other buildings on the district plan heritage schedule, the Archway Lecture Theatre is without comparison," the report said. "This building is both unique and special to Dunedin. It also contributes to a nationwide body of Brutalist architecture." University property and campus development director Tanya Syddall said while opposition did not come lightly, the building represented "the poorest quality" of tiered lecture theatres on campus. "They are cold and austere, the seating uncomfortable and acoustics poor." The building would likely be unused in about three years as demand for teaching spaces changed, making maintenance costs "impossible to justify" and demolition inevitable, she said. Mrs Syddall said in 2010, Mr McCoy was asked about the proposal to demolish the theatres and told Master Plan lead consultant Chris Alcock "words to the effect of 'I'm fine if you want to get rid of them"'. She said there was no timeline for any proposed demolition and the formal garden was as yet unapproved and subject to change. The university had supported the inclusion of three of its other buildings — the former Dunedin Hospital Nurses' Home, former Queen Mary Maternity Hospital and the Hercus Building — on the heritage schedule, with some requested amendments.
Otago Daily Times
09-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
DCC may thwart plan to demolish lecture theatres
Plans to demolish award winning University of Otago lecture theatres have hit a snag as the city council moves to protect the building. The Dunedin City Council has included the Archway Lecture Theatre building on a draft list of 146 buildings to be protected under changes to the district plan. The council's heritage assessment says the building is unique, special and "without comparison" in Dunedin. However, the University of Otago says the building represents the "poorest quality" lecture theatres on campus and demolition had been on the cards for at least 15 years. The proposed heritage changes will be considered at a hearing beginning on May 19. In his written evidence, vice-chancellor Grant Robertson asked for the building not to be included on the list, saying the university was considering demolishing the theatres and the neighbouring Gregory Building — possibly replacing them with a formal garden space. The university wanted to "maximise the value" of neo-gothic buildings on campus by developing the Union St entranceway, he said. In March, Mr Robertson confirmed he was planning to move a significant proportion of the staff in the Clocktower building — including himself — into the consumer and applied science building. "A formal garden space connecting the [consumer and applied sciences] building with Union St and the gothic heritage buildings of the Clocktower precinct, for example, offers a substantial enhancement to the university's heritage campus," he said. "The Archway Lecture Theatres are a barrier to this entranceway." The 2010 Campus Master Plan suggested removing the building in favour of a new teaching centre. However, following the Covid pandemic and "the changing nature of teaching and learning", the centre was not required. Rather, the university had an "abundance of building space". The Archway Lecture Theatre building was built in 1974, designed by notable Dunedin architect Ted McCoy, and won a New Zealand Institute of Architects Southern Architecture Award for Enduring Architecture in 2020. The council's heritage assessment report proposed the entire external envelope and internal corridor be protected. "When considered alongside other buildings on the district plan heritage schedule, the Archway Lecture Theatre is without comparison," the report said. "This building is both unique and special to Dunedin. It also contributes to a nationwide body of Brutalist architecture." University property and campus development director Tanya Syddall said while opposition did not come lightly, the building represented "the poorest quality" of tiered lecture theatres on campus. "They are cold and austere, the seating uncomfortable and acoustics poor." The building would likely be unused in about three years as demand for teaching spaces changed, making maintenance costs "impossible to justify" and demolition inevitable, she said. Mrs Syddall said in 2010, Mr McCoy was asked about the proposal to demolish the theatres and told Master Plan lead consultant Chris Alcock "words to the effect of 'I'm fine if you want to get rid of them"'. She said there was no timeline for any proposed demolition and the formal garden was as yet unapproved and subject to change. The university had supported the inclusion of three of its other buildings — the former Dunedin Hospital Nurses' Home, former Queen Mary Maternity Hospital and the Hercus Building — on the heritage schedule, with some requested amendments.
