The former Auckland Chief Post Office is one of New Zealand’s most recognisable historic buildings. Salmond Reed Architects have provided specialist conservation advice since this iconic landmark, dating from 1912, was first converted into the Britomart railway station in 2004. The exterior has been restored as the cornerstone historic building of New Zealand’s largest transport infrastructure project, the City Rail Link.

The restoration works to the exterior followed the completion of new rail tunnels beneath the building as part of the major City Rail Link (CRL) transportation scheme. Our professional heritage services and comprehensive documentation guided the repairs to the external fabric of the building.

The project was conservation-led, requiring careful decisions regarding material selection and the extent of intervention required to preserve the original heritage fabric. This considered the anticipated lifespan of the repairs alongside the future maintenance needs of the building, ensuring a balanced approach. The stone faces underwent a meticulous cleaning process to restore their original appearance, and the restoration of the exterior façade involved the skillful piecing in of new Oamaru stone to replace decayed material, following time-honoured techniques of repair.

In addition to stone conservation and cleaning, architectural embellishments that had worn surfaces were reinstated through the application of a complete new fines coat to the plaster elevations;  traditional Neuchatel mastic asphalt replaced failing roofing membranes; projecting parapet ledges and cornices were fitted with new lead sheet capping to resolve water damage;  and a full restoration of the steel window joinery was undertaken, involving careful bare metal preparation and repainting.

OCTA Project Management were responsible for the overall project on behalf of Auckland Transport.