New Plymouth Buildings
The architectural make-up of New Plymouth since European settlement stretches from the early cottages of the1840s to the shiny steel-plated exterior of the planned Len Lye Centre. In between has come the transition from timber buildings to concrete, the art deco of the 1930s and the modernism of the 1960s. While a few private residences remain from the early days of European settlement, the Central Business District looks nothing like early paintings and photos. The early wooden buildings have mostly been demolished or destroyed by fire to be replaced by larger reinforced concrete premises. Both commercial and domestic buildings feature in this topic, which can be searched either by the age of the building or its location.
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Explore New Plymouth Buildings on the map below - buildings in blue are still standing in their original location; those in red have been either demolished or shifted outside New Plymouth District/to an unknown location; those in purple have been relocated within New Plymouth District.
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Tupare is a Chapman-Taylor designed residence on Mangorei Road. The plans were prepared in 1932 for Russell and Elizabeth Matthews, a substantial private home in the traditional English-style design.
A clause in the specifications allowed for 'alteration' to the design and Chapman-Taylor agreed to work "...under instructions from Russell Matthews Esq. who will himself employ the workmen and supple the materials and will place the work under the controlof the Designer who will act as Architectand as Foreman in charge of the job. Therefore this Specification will take the
This attractive villa residence was likely constructed during the mid-1900s for Carl Sorensen.
Carl purchased the property on which the villa is located (Part Section D of Hua & Waiwhakaiho District) in March 1904 and appears to have had the present villa constructed as his family home soon after.
In 1906, Carl discovered on the property large deposits of high-quality Kaolin, a pure white clay for ceramics. These Kaolin deposits attracted considerable media attention and in 1908 the farm was sold to an international consortium who hoped to mine the clay from the property.
By mid-1908, a number of tunnels
2017 View: By Hamish Crimp
This house was originally constructed as investment/rental property for William John Shaw in 1903, with the house extensively renovated during 1929.
William Shaw resided in the house at present 5 Rogan Street, and from 1890 owned a large area of land along Gover, Rogan & Gilbert Streets - this property included part Section P (now comprising Lot 2 of DP20617), on which the present house at 99 Gover Street is constructed.
2019 View: Open2View
This house was one of two adjacent villas constructed as investment/rental properties for William John Shaw during 1900-01.
William Shaw resided in the house at present 5 Rogan Street, and from 1890 owned a large area of land along Gover, Rogan & Gilbert Streets - this property included part Town Sections 1686 & 1687 (now comprising Lot 2 of DP4140), on which the present house at 56 Gilbert Street is constructed.
Although no building permit exists for the construction of this house as
A permit was granted to Alfred Smith on November 4th 1919 for the construction of a 'cottage' on Town Section 1300 (this is a mistake in the permit book, it should be section 1301) in Buller Street - Jones & Sandford were the builders and the house had an estimated construction cost of £800.
This house is thought to be the second dwelling constructed by New Plymouth firm Jones & Sandford.
Smith sold the property to Thomas Willson in July 1922 (who also purchased neighbouring 14 Octavius Place at the same time).
The house was one of three dwelings removed
A permit was granted to Alfred Smith on June 21st 1919 for the construction of a residence on Part Town Sections 1286 & 1287 in Octavius Place - Jones & Sandford were the builders and the house had an estimated construction cost of £910.
This house is thought to have been the first dwelling constructed by New Plymouth firm Jones & Sandford.
Smith sold the property to Thomas Willson in July 1922 (who also purchased neighbouring 53 Buller Street at the same time), with Wilson listed as residing at the Octavius Place property until the 1943 edition of Wises Post
2019 View: By Hamish Crimp
The early history of this cottage is somewhat unclear, although it seems likely that it was constructed by or for Walter John Morrison on Town Section 2077 (present site of 256 Courtenay Street) during the 1850s, and then relocated to neighbouring Town Section 2076 (present site of 250 D & E Courtenay Street) for Margery Kirkby during the early 1900s.
Skinner’s 1880 Map shows a cottage on the front of Town Section 2077, with DP1657,
2019 View: By Hamish Crimp
This board and batten clad twin gabled cottage was very likely constructed by/for George Frankland during 1888.
Frankland purchased Section 19 of the Hua & Waiw[h]akaiho Hundred from J. Provis during late-November 1887. At the time of sale the section is thought to have been vacant, with the house likely constructed soon after.
The house is architecturally significant as one of the last cottages in western Taranaki constructed with
This attractive bungalow residence was constructed for plasterer George Knight in 1924 - it was originally located at 269 Courtenay Street and relocated to its present site in 1971.
A permit for the construction of a house on Town Section 2058 Courtenay Street, was granted to George Knight by the New Plymouth Borough Council on August 20th 1924 - Jones and Sandford were listed as the builders and the estimated construction cost was £1500. It seems likely George completed the exterior stucco plastering himself.
George Knight is listed as residing in the house until the early 1940s,
2015 View
This attractive villa residence was constructed during the early 1900s and was originally located near the present site of 15 Ngaio Street in Strandon, New Plymouth. Based on its style Frank Messenger was likely the architect.
The house was relocated to its present site during 1970 to enable the construction of flats on the Ngaio Street site.
See: Taranaki Daily News, 5 December 2015
