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The former
Government Buildings was an important symbol of nationhood, as it was completed in the same month that provincial government in New Zealand ended and central government 'finally asserted its authority'. The building initially housed the entire Wellington-based civil service as well as the
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The building was extended in 1897 and again in 1907, with additions to the wings. It was also surrounded by outbuildings, and the original interior obscured by partitions, linings and paint. Following the departure of the
Education Department, the building underwent thorough restoration under the
436:, which became the building's owners. Wherever possible the building was to be restored to its 1907 appearance, when the north and south wing extensions were completed. The project spanned two years and cost $ 25 million. The government buildings were formally reopened in January 1996 after the
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The building has 143 rooms, 64 toilets, 126 fireplaces and 22 chimneys. When it opened in 1876, after 22 months of construction, and at a cost of £39 000, it was easily the largest building in the country and is now considered to be one of New
Zealand's most important historic buildings. The
336:, which could not be replicated because New Zealand's remaining public kauri forests are permanently protected. If the building had been constructed out of stone as planned, it may not have survived subsequent earthquakes, as it is situated near a major fault line. The architect was
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was used during the restoration project, to supplement the original timber. Verandahs, late
Victorian and Edwardian water radiators, the original clock and coat of arms, a water-powered hydraulic lift, and the impressive staircases were all restored or preserved.
365:. Although some early work was done in the 1980s, the bulk of the restoration took place from 1994 to 1996. Many original features were replicated, including fireplaces although these are now purely decorative. The original
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456:. The public may view the displays on the ground floor and the Cabinet room on the first floor, but the rest of the building is leased to the Victoria University School of Law.
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style was usually the domain of stone buildings, thus the building is designed to mimic stone. As an important symbol of nationhood, the building was constructed to resemble an
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met there until 1948. The civil service rapidly expanded beyond the capacity of the building, with the first department leaving shortly after it was opened. By 1975 only the
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signed a 50-year tenancy that year and became its new occupants. Its restoration is considered a landmark government-initiated heritage conservation project.
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Over concerns about the threat of fire, smoking was banned within the building from its opening, making it the first building in the world to have a
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After housing government departments for 114 years, Government funding was made available and restoration began in 1994 under the management of the
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The building was reopened in
January 1996. The grounds are open to the public, and contain examples of rare native
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The building is now home to the
Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Law. Pictured in 2005.
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to help convey its strength and stability in the expanding empire. The timber is native
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Until 1998, the building was the second-largest wooden building in the world (after
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In March 2015, the buildings suffered minimal damage in a suspected arson attack.
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The piles, originally totara, are now concrete. All structural framing is
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Heritage New
Zealand Category 1 historic places in the Wellington Region
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piles were replaced with concrete. Over 500 cubic metres of recycled
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312:. It was originally planned to have the building constructed in
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567:"No pane, no gain: 804 windows in and Mike Deavin's not done"
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657:"Suspected arson at Victoria University law school building"
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Victoria
University of Wellington Association Football Club
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The building was commissioned in the early 1870s by the
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Victoria
University of Wellington Students' Association
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Wellington City
Operative District Plan Volume 3 Map 17
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The Old Government Buildings seen from the front right
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sit on the Government Buildings Historic Reserve, on
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with the sun rising over the Old Government Building
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115:Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Law
923:Wooden buildings and structures in New Zealand
812:Victoria University Coastal Ecology Laboratory
429:remained, and by 1990 the building was empty.
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476:, third-largest wooden building in the world
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903:Buildings and structures in Wellington City
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241:. The buildings were completed in 1876 on
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761:Centre for Strategic Studies New Zealand
505:New Zealand Heritage List/RÄrangi KÅrero
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908:Government buildings completed in 1876
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771:Malaghan Institute of Medical Research
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348:building was built on reclaimed land.
243:land reclaimed from Wellington Harbour
179:Heritage New Zealand â Category 1
933:William Clayton (architect) buildings
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601:Government Buildings Historic Reserve
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16:Heritage building in New Zealand
501:"Government Buildings (former)"
938:Wellington Central, Wellington
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1:
686:Department of Conservation's
532:Historic Government Buildings
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295:360° panorama of the building
266:Category 1 historic building
256:The building now houses the
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776:New Zealand School of Music
599:Department of Conservation
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655:Hunt, Tom (4 March 2015).
534:Department of Conservation
434:Department of Conservation
359:Department of Conservation
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140:Department of Conservation
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861:Victoria University Press
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854:Publications and culture
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807:Old Government Buildings
802:Language Learning Centre
785:Buildings and facilities
749:Centres and institutions
264:. It is classified as a
231:Old Government Buildings
95:41.279484°S 174.777975°E
24:Old Government Buildings
616:Wellington City Council
158:Design and construction
866:Wai-te-ata Music Press
460:Suspected arson attack
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310:provincial governments
300:Construction and style
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247:New Zealand Government
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100:-41.279484; 174.777975
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363:Historic Places Trust
342:Scoular and Archibald
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766:MacDiarmid Institute
621:14 June 2011 at the
549:25 July 2008 at the
509:Heritage New Zealand
427:Education Department
384:(now augmented with
330:Italian stone palace
270:Heritage New Zealand
121:Construction started
635:"Architecture Week"
442:Victoria University
421:. In addition, the
419:New Zealand Cabinet
245:to house the young
223:Wellington cenotaph
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50:Architectural style
45:General information
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194:Reference no.
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454:New Zealand flora
423:Executive Council
398:smoke-free policy
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145:Technical details
63:55 Lambton Quay,
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792:Adam Art Gallery
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221:next to the
163:Architect(s)
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662:Stuff.co.nz
514:21 December
438:Law Faculty
237:in central
217:A crowd on
189:2 July 1982
150:Floor count
98: /
86:174°46â²41â³E
73:Coordinates
897:Categories
576:31 October
481:References
322:Italianate
283:, Japan).
262:Law School
239:Wellington
186:Designated
83:41°16â²46â³S
65:Wellington
835:VicLabour
379:Tasmanian
219:ANZAC Day
129:Completed
619:Archived
547:Archived
468:See also
382:hardwood
314:concrete
277:TÅdai-ji
249:and its
137:Landlord
60:Location
829:Salient
668:4 March
417:entire
287:History
875:People
367:tÅtara
318:timber
638:(PDF)
571:Stuff
371:kauri
334:kauri
670:2015
603:2002
578:2021
516:2009
316:and
281:Nara
132:1876
124:1875
440:of
279:in
268:by
260:'s
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