Splendour of the past revived

Press, 6 May 1980, Page 27

Splendour of the past revived

The Cashfields building was vacated by D.I.C. in July 1978 after council requirements for upgrading the building to earthquake-proof standards appeared to be too expensive to justify continuing its use.

Many developers, construction firms and other retailers looked at the site but all concluded that the building was fit only for demolition — that it would not be viable to strengthen the building to meet requirements. Paynter and Hamilton Property Developments, (P.H.P.D.), were not so convinced. Richmond Paynter and Graeme Bringans of P.H.P.D. looked at the building from all angles and called in professional consultants, Austin and Warren, Architects, and Halliday O’Loughlin and Taylor, Engineers, to confirm their contention that it was possible not only to restore the building- but ;to enhance it by lacing it with arcades and walkways and incorporating a multiplicity of retail shops and offices.- t -< ' Using typical “Kiwi ing e n u i t y , ” * Halliday O’Loughlin and Taylor de-

vised a system for' strengthening the building at only a fraction of the cost estimated by others. The project then took shape. Careful to preserve the facade and form of the building, Austin and War-.., ren designed the wide and weaving arcades in- sympathy with the original Victorian architecture. Preserving- details such as crenellated columns and old gas lights, the arcades run right through the building from Cashel Street to Lichfield Street, on two floors. An escalator and lift take traffic to the first floor shops and restaurant and two wide staircases return to ground floor level. In the centre of the arcade, at the Cashel Street end, two light shafts extend up through all three levels to give natural light to the ground floor. The whole .arcade is decorated with foliage and

hanging plants to bring the outdoors inside. Moulded window frames, panelled doors and many other visual surprises make Cashfields a delightful place to shop. On both main shopping levels of Cashfields, there will be walkways through to, DIC/Beaths, together forming one of the largest shopping complexes in the city. In a day and age when most old and decaying buildings are put to the torch, Cashfields stands on its own as an example of what can be achieved by a little ingenuity and a lot of hard work. Not only does the complex preserve an old city landmark, but the whole exercise, valued in excess of S3M, constitutes only a small percentage of the cost of demolishing the building and erecting a high rise office tower with shops underneath, hitherto thought to be the only viable use of the site.