Story: Public, commercial and church architecture

Government Buildings, Wellington

Government Buildings, Wellington

The shift of the colony's capital from Auckland to Wellington in 1865 created demand for office space to accommodate a growing civil service. Colonial Architect William Clayton designed the capacious classical revival Government Buildings to meet the need. Consideration was given to masonry construction, but this was deemed too expensive, and instead wood was used, fashioned to look like stone. The building opened in 1876 and remains among the largest wooden office buildings in the world. 

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Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Photograph by Andy Palmer

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How to cite this page:

Ben Schrader, 'Public, commercial and church architecture - Buildings of substance, 1860 to 1900', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/44760/government-buildings-wellington (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Ben Schrader, published 22 Oct 2014