Lopdell House Renovation

The Lopdell project required the extensive upgrading of two heritage buildings, construction of a new regional art gallery, and a new car-park building, set in regenerating bush on a steep slope in Titirangi town centre. Lopdell House was built in 1930 as the Titirangi Hotel. Its redevelopment required the insertion of a seismically-resistant structure, construction of a new basement theatre, removal of roof-top additions and reconstruction of a paved roof deck. The whole building was refurbished into offices, and community spaces, with a large cafe-restaurant on Titirangi Rd. Nearby is the refurbished Treasure House. “The task of restoring a landmark building in a suburban village centre sets the architect a difficult task: the existing form and fabric must be respected but the building is not a museum piece and needs to be re-configured as part of the community’s future as well as of its past. This task has been mastered by the architects who carried out the conservation and refurbishment of Lopdell House. The various accretions which over the years have degraded the building’s presence have been stripped-back and a sensitive colour scheme and some opening up of the pavement faces of the building have made it both more comfortably integrated with its neighbours and more accessible. The completed project, sharp, refreshed and skillfully adjusted to new uses, is now ready to act as a focus of the Titirangi community for another generation.” NZIA Judges’ comments.