Demolition of the Otago Harbour Board Building
Very sad to read in the Otago Daily Times (2 November 2023) that the Otago Harbour Board Building in Port Chalmers, designed by Mason & Wales Architects and built in 1980, is being demolished. It was notable for its abstract geometric design, clad with mirror glass – or more specifically, Reflactafloat reflective solar control glass. The cladding system was newsworthy at the time of completion, with a period newspaper recording that it was double-glazing, combining 6 mm glass with an 80 mm air gap, for sound insulation and thermal comfort. The glass also reflected the historic Port Chalmers context. The Harbour Board building earned local and national architecture awards in 1981, and a local Enduring Award for Architecture in 2021.
Photo courtesy of Mason & Wales Architects.
What a waste.