Auckland Archi-Tours: Old Choral Hall

Old Choral Hall has been returned to its former glory, but the project’s high notes don’t stop at its sensitive conservation. As well as honouring the 1872 building’s historic heritage origins, the project has delivered flexible student spaces, two 100-seat theatres, seismic strengthening, future-proofing and more. In a bravura performance, the project team has also reinstated something grand and beautiful that had bee missing for almost a century – the portico which, for safety reasons , had been removed after the 1931 earthquake. Back are the columns and the sense of grandeur befitting the Historic Place Category A / Category 1 hall on Symonds Street, but with all the latest strengthening, accessibility and environmental measures. This tour offers the opportunity to meet the conservation and design architects and see first hand what Council’s heritage team has described as “a high standard of heritage building conservation rarely found in New Zealand” and commendation from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga for the project’s “collaborative approach, attention to detail, commitment to quality, and championing of good heritage outcomes […] which makes this an excellent case study”. Meet on the steps of Old Choral Hall