The work of former local man, Peter Reed, has gone full circle in a way.
Peter, an ex-Post Office employee and now a nationally recognised conservation architect, has received an architectural award for his practice's work on the former Auckland Chief Post Office (built 1911).
His practice, Salmond Reed Architects, working from
Devonport, Auckland, has received the NZ Institute of Architects award (in conjunction with Jasmax and Mario Madayag Architects) for their work on the restoration of the exterior of the building ? an impressive Oamaru Stone structure on Queen Street.
"It was quite nostalgic really, having spent so much time working within the Post Office system and to now be specifying restoration repairs to what was one of their finest buildings." The building is no longer occupied by NZ Post and has been redeveloped as part of the major Britomart works and is now a gateway to the underground suburban railway network.
Peter worked at the Stratford Post Office from 1966 to 1982, went on to train as an architectural draughtsman in New Plymouth then moved to Auckland to attend university (as a mature student) to qualify as an architect. "The academic training underpinned the fundamental training I gained working on my house in Stratford but opened my mind to design and the philosophical approach to work on buildings, and in my case to the conservation of heritage buildings."
Salmond Reed Architects also received the Institute of Architects Community and Cultural award at the same awards event for the restoration of the Auckland Domain Winter Gardens. These impressive glasshouses and pergola walkways have taken over two years to restore and are now as sound as when they were built in 1929.
