St Thomas’ Chapel in St Matthew-in-the-city

This project involved reconstruction of the historic St Thomas’ Chapel in conjunction with the installation of a new kitchen and accessible toilet, all within the south transept of heritage-listed St Matthew in-the-City Church.

St Thomas’ Chapel itself originated on board the early twentieth century Melanesian Mission ship, Southern Cross V, which had operated throughout the Pacific region. Material from the decommissioned ship had subsequently been used to form a ’lady chapel’ in St Thomas Church, Auckland, before that building was demolished to make way for the new motorway. Temporary interim home for the historic remnants had been the crypt of St Matthews.

The design solution involved creating two simple “containers”, one to provide supportive enclosure for the heritage elements of the chapel and the other, the functional requirements of a modern catering kitchen. The “containers” had to be detailed for viewing from every angle, including overhead. Simplicity was the keynote and for the Chapel itself, the outer shell of simple oak ply with its “halo” of illuminated onyx provides a contrast against the heritage fabric within making clear the distinction between old and new.

In accordance with sound conservation practice principles the construction was achieved independently of the surrounding structure to allow easy removal if required at a later date, without damage to the historic elements of the Church.