Built for the Westport Borough Council, the Municipal Chambers are the most distinctive architectural feature in Westport today. The Westport Borough Council was established in 1873, twelve years after Pakeha settlement at the mouth of the Buller River began. The oldest Pakeha settlement on the West Coast, it was established to ship coal out. The Buller County Council, which had its headquarters in Westport was inaugurated in 1877.
It was housed in an 1880 timber and iron building on the same site, until the current building was erected in 1940.
In 1936 the Mayor, Kilkenny, first proposed a new building in 1936. Architect Archibald Macdonald, of whom little is known, except that he resided in Westport from 1939 to c. 1943, designed the new chambers in a moderne style. Once his design was accepted by the council, and ratepayers' support gained, tenders were called for the building in July 1938 and construction began by the end of that year. In December the former town hall was demolished, and the site was being cleared to enable the foundations of the new building to be laid. Built of concrete and 50 tons of reinforcing steel, it featured rimu in the interior and terrazzo floors. Progress on the building was hindered in part by the rising cost of materials due to the outbreak of the Second World War. In December 1940, the Town Clerk suggested that the back of the building be left unplastered until the rest was complete, as a cost saving measure. The bulk of the work, apart from the upper part of the clock tower had been completed by April 1940, although finishing touches such as the terrazzo floors and the plastering of all of the exterior were not completed until 1941.
It was to have a town hall built behind the council offices. However, this was never started.
The council was temporarily housed in a house on the corner of Russell and Brougham Streets, owned by MacDonald.
The building is a striking one and the Moderne elements in the principle facades reflect the impact this interpretation of the International Style had upon New Zealand architecture in the late 1930s. Its distinctive mustard yellow colouring is because it was coated in Motueka sand.
It was housed in an 1880 timber and iron building on the same site, until the current building was erected in 1940.
In 1936 the Mayor, Kilkenny, first proposed a new building in 1936. Architect Archibald Macdonald, of whom little is known, except that he resided in Westport from 1939 to c. 1943, designed the new chambers in a moderne style. Once his design was accepted by the council, and ratepayers' support gained, tenders were called for the building in July 1938 and construction began by the end of that year. In December the former town hall was demolished, and the site was being cleared to enable the foundations of the new building to be laid. Built of concrete and 50 tons of reinforcing steel, it featured rimu in the interior and terrazzo floors. Progress on the building was hindered in part by the rising cost of materials due to the outbreak of the Second World War. In December 1940, the Town Clerk suggested that the back of the building be left unplastered until the rest was complete, as a cost saving measure. The bulk of the work, apart from the upper part of the clock tower had been completed by April 1940, although finishing touches such as the terrazzo floors and the plastering of all of the exterior were not completed until 1941.
It was to have a town hall built behind the council offices. However, this was never started.
The council was temporarily housed in a house on the corner of Russell and Brougham Streets, owned by MacDonald.
The building is a striking one and the Moderne elements in the principle facades reflect the impact this interpretation of the International Style had upon New Zealand architecture in the late 1930s. Its distinctive mustard yellow colouring is because it was coated in Motueka sand.
Municipal Chambers (Former), Westport. Image courtesy of www.flickr.com | Jan Helebrant | 08/04/2022 | Public Domain
Municipal Chambers (Former), Westport | Hanna Westley | 28/12/2022 | Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
Municipal Chambers (Former), Westport. CC BY 4.0 Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org | Mike Dickison | 19/09/2020 | Mike Dickison - Wikimedia Commons
Municipal Chambers (Former), Westport. Image courtesy of www.flickr.com | Jan Helebrant | 08/04/2022 | Public Domain
Municipal Chambers (Former), Westport | Hanna Westley | 28/12/2022 | Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
Municipal Chambers (Former), Westport. CC BY 4.0 Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org | Mike Dickison | 19/09/2020 | Mike Dickison - Wikimedia Commons
Location
List Entry Information
Overview
Detailed List Entry
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 1
Access
Private/No Public Access
List Number
5000
Date Entered
30th August 1990
Date of Effect
30th August 1990
City/District Council
Buller District
Region
West Coast Region
Extent of List Entry
Extent of registration includes part of the land described as Lot 1 DP 442862 (RT 552950), Nelson Land District, and the building known as Municipal Chambers thereon.
Legal description
Lot 1 DP 442862 (RT 552950), Nelson Land District
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