Berhampore State Flats
Encyclopedia
The Berhampore State Flats (also known as the Centennial Flats) at 493–507 Adelaide Road, Berhampore
, Wellington
, New Zealand
, are an example of mass housing designed in the international style
. The flats were designed by F. Gordon Wilson (1900–1959), chief architect at the Department of Housing Construction.
had first become involved in the provision of housing when the Workers’ Dwelling Act,
which allowed the state to build and lease houses to workers, was passed in 1905. However, only after the election of the first Labour government in 1935 was there large-scale state involvement in the New Zealand
housing market. One of many measures that was undertaken by the first Labour government was the launch of a state housing
scheme to provide every New Zealander with a home that, in Walter Nash
’s words, would be “fit for a cabinet minister”. The Department of Housing Construction, with its own architects, was established, and by 1940 almost 10,000 new single-unit dwellings had been constructed.
In March 1938, the government announced the construction of the first block of multiunit flats, at Berhampore
. Although single-unit dwellings had been preferred, the government felt that the housing problem was of such magnitude that every approach should be encouraged, and that advances in multi-unit complexes were such that they had become more socially acceptable.
The location of the flats, a short tram ride from Courtenay Place
, was intended to give convenient access to the tenants’ workplaces, and reduce urban sprawl
.
sun, windows as large as practicable and balconies included in all units above ground level. Other features were an emphasis on built-in services and consideration of sound insulation between the units. The complex included a community centre in the
central garden area.
construction mitigated earthquake and fire risks, and reduced maintenance and construction costs.
in 1998.
The Berhampore State Flats (also known as the Centennial Flats) at 493–507 Adelaide Road, Berhampore
, Wellington
, New Zealand
, are an example of mass housing designed in the international style
. The flats were designed by F. Gordon Wilson (1900–1959), chief architect at the Department of Housing Construction.
had first become involved in the provision of housing when the Workers’ Dwelling Act,
which allowed the state to build and lease houses to workers, was passed in 1905. However, only after the election of the first Labour government in 1935 was there large-scale state involvement in the New Zealand
housing market. One of many measures that was undertaken by the first Labour government was the launch of a state housing
scheme to provide every New Zealander with a home that, in Walter Nash
’s words, would be “fit for a cabinet minister”. The Department of Housing Construction, with its own architects, was established, and by 1940 almost 10,000 new single-unit dwellings had been constructed.
In March 1938, the government announced the construction of the first block of multiunit flats, at Berhampore
. Although single-unit dwellings had been preferred, the government felt that the housing problem was of such magnitude that every approach should be encouraged, and that advances in multi-unit complexes were such that they had become more socially acceptable.
The location of the flats, a short tram ride from Courtenay Place
, was intended to give convenient access to the tenants’ workplaces, and reduce urban sprawl
.
sun, windows as large as practicable and balconies included in all units above ground level. Other features were an emphasis on built-in services and consideration of sound insulation between the units. The complex included a community centre in the
central garden area.
construction mitigated earthquake and fire risks, and reduced maintenance and construction costs.
in 1998.
The Berhampore State Flats (also known as the Centennial Flats) at 493–507 Adelaide Road, Berhampore
, Wellington
, New Zealand
, are an example of mass housing designed in the international style
. The flats were designed by F. Gordon Wilson (1900–1959), chief architect at the Department of Housing Construction.
had first become involved in the provision of housing when the Workers’ Dwelling Act,
which allowed the state to build and lease houses to workers, was passed in 1905. However, only after the election of the first Labour government in 1935 was there large-scale state involvement in the New Zealand
housing market. One of many measures that was undertaken by the first Labour government was the launch of a state housing
scheme to provide every New Zealander with a home that, in Walter Nash
’s words, would be “fit for a cabinet minister”. The Department of Housing Construction, with its own architects, was established, and by 1940 almost 10,000 new single-unit dwellings had been constructed.
In March 1938, the government announced the construction of the first block of multiunit flats, at Berhampore
. Although single-unit dwellings had been preferred, the government felt that the housing problem was of such magnitude that every approach should be encouraged, and that advances in multi-unit complexes were such that they had become more socially acceptable.
The location of the flats, a short tram ride from Courtenay Place
, was intended to give convenient access to the tenants’ workplaces, and reduce urban sprawl
.
sun, windows as large as practicable and balconies included in all units above ground level. Other features were an emphasis on built-in services and consideration of sound insulation between the units. The complex included a community centre in the
central garden area.
construction mitigated earthquake and fire risks, and reduced maintenance and construction costs.
in 1998.
Berhampore, New Zealand
Berhampore is a suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It lies towards the south of the city, seven kilometres from the city centre, and two kilometres from the coast of Cook Strait. It is surrounded by the suburbs of Vogeltown, Newtown, Melrose, Island Bay, Kingston, and ...
, Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, are an example of mass housing designed in the international style
International style (architecture)
The International style is a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the formative decades of Modern architecture. The term originated from the name of a book by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style...
. The flats were designed by F. Gordon Wilson (1900–1959), chief architect at the Department of Housing Construction.
Context
The New Zealand governmentPolitics of New Zealand
The politics of New Zealand take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy. The basic system is closely patterned on that of the Westminster System, although a number of significant modifications have been made...
had first become involved in the provision of housing when the Workers’ Dwelling Act,
which allowed the state to build and lease houses to workers, was passed in 1905. However, only after the election of the first Labour government in 1935 was there large-scale state involvement in the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
housing market. One of many measures that was undertaken by the first Labour government was the launch of a state housing
State housing
State housing is the system of public housing offered to New Zealand residents on low to moderate incomes. Some 66,000 houses are managed by Housing New Zealand Corporation, most of which are owned by the government.-The Liberal Government:...
scheme to provide every New Zealander with a home that, in Walter Nash
Walter Nash
Sir Walter Nash, GCMG, CH served as the 27th Prime Minister of New Zealand in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960, and was also highly influential in his role as Minister of Finance...
’s words, would be “fit for a cabinet minister”. The Department of Housing Construction, with its own architects, was established, and by 1940 almost 10,000 new single-unit dwellings had been constructed.
In March 1938, the government announced the construction of the first block of multiunit flats, at Berhampore
Berhampore, New Zealand
Berhampore is a suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It lies towards the south of the city, seven kilometres from the city centre, and two kilometres from the coast of Cook Strait. It is surrounded by the suburbs of Vogeltown, Newtown, Melrose, Island Bay, Kingston, and ...
. Although single-unit dwellings had been preferred, the government felt that the housing problem was of such magnitude that every approach should be encouraged, and that advances in multi-unit complexes were such that they had become more socially acceptable.
The location of the flats, a short tram ride from Courtenay Place
Courtenay Place, Wellington
Courtenay Place is the main street of the Courtenay Quarter in the Wellington, New Zealand inner-city district of Te Aro.Courtenay Place is known for its entertainment and nightlife. Many restaurants are open late and most of the bars stay open until dawn...
, was intended to give convenient access to the tenants’ workplaces, and reduce urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
.
Architecture
The scheme consisted of 48 one-, two- or three-bedroom units, and 11 garages, planned to maximize open spaces. Particular attention was paid to maximizing sunlight, with the buildings on the northern side being limited to one storey, living rooms built to thesun, windows as large as practicable and balconies included in all units above ground level. Other features were an emphasis on built-in services and consideration of sound insulation between the units. The complex included a community centre in the
central garden area.
Engineering
Reinforced-concreteReinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
construction mitigated earthquake and fire risks, and reduced maintenance and construction costs.
Construction and alterations
The Berhampore Flats were completed in 1938–39. Major renovations and alterations were carried out by the New Zealand Housing Corporation in 1987, but the original character of the scheme is still evident. The complex was given "Category I" historic place status by the New Zealand Historic Places TrustNew Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
in 1998.
The Berhampore State Flats (also known as the Centennial Flats) at 493–507 Adelaide Road, Berhampore
Berhampore, New Zealand
Berhampore is a suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It lies towards the south of the city, seven kilometres from the city centre, and two kilometres from the coast of Cook Strait. It is surrounded by the suburbs of Vogeltown, Newtown, Melrose, Island Bay, Kingston, and ...
, Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, are an example of mass housing designed in the international style
International style (architecture)
The International style is a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the formative decades of Modern architecture. The term originated from the name of a book by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style...
. The flats were designed by F. Gordon Wilson (1900–1959), chief architect at the Department of Housing Construction.
Context
The New Zealand governmentPolitics of New Zealand
The politics of New Zealand take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy. The basic system is closely patterned on that of the Westminster System, although a number of significant modifications have been made...
had first become involved in the provision of housing when the Workers’ Dwelling Act,
which allowed the state to build and lease houses to workers, was passed in 1905. However, only after the election of the first Labour government in 1935 was there large-scale state involvement in the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
housing market. One of many measures that was undertaken by the first Labour government was the launch of a state housing
State housing
State housing is the system of public housing offered to New Zealand residents on low to moderate incomes. Some 66,000 houses are managed by Housing New Zealand Corporation, most of which are owned by the government.-The Liberal Government:...
scheme to provide every New Zealander with a home that, in Walter Nash
Walter Nash
Sir Walter Nash, GCMG, CH served as the 27th Prime Minister of New Zealand in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960, and was also highly influential in his role as Minister of Finance...
’s words, would be “fit for a cabinet minister”. The Department of Housing Construction, with its own architects, was established, and by 1940 almost 10,000 new single-unit dwellings had been constructed.
In March 1938, the government announced the construction of the first block of multiunit flats, at Berhampore
Berhampore, New Zealand
Berhampore is a suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It lies towards the south of the city, seven kilometres from the city centre, and two kilometres from the coast of Cook Strait. It is surrounded by the suburbs of Vogeltown, Newtown, Melrose, Island Bay, Kingston, and ...
. Although single-unit dwellings had been preferred, the government felt that the housing problem was of such magnitude that every approach should be encouraged, and that advances in multi-unit complexes were such that they had become more socially acceptable.
The location of the flats, a short tram ride from Courtenay Place
Courtenay Place, Wellington
Courtenay Place is the main street of the Courtenay Quarter in the Wellington, New Zealand inner-city district of Te Aro.Courtenay Place is known for its entertainment and nightlife. Many restaurants are open late and most of the bars stay open until dawn...
, was intended to give convenient access to the tenants’ workplaces, and reduce urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
.
Architecture
The scheme consisted of 48 one-, two- or three-bedroom units, and 11 garages, planned to maximize open spaces. Particular attention was paid to maximizing sunlight, with the buildings on the northern side being limited to one storey, living rooms built to thesun, windows as large as practicable and balconies included in all units above ground level. Other features were an emphasis on built-in services and consideration of sound insulation between the units. The complex included a community centre in the
central garden area.
Engineering
Reinforced-concreteReinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
construction mitigated earthquake and fire risks, and reduced maintenance and construction costs.
Construction and alterations
The Berhampore Flats were completed in 1938–39. Major renovations and alterations were carried out by the New Zealand Housing Corporation in 1987, but the original character of the scheme is still evident. The complex was given "Category I" historic place status by the New Zealand Historic Places TrustNew Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
in 1998.
The Berhampore State Flats (also known as the Centennial Flats) at 493–507 Adelaide Road, Berhampore
Berhampore, New Zealand
Berhampore is a suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It lies towards the south of the city, seven kilometres from the city centre, and two kilometres from the coast of Cook Strait. It is surrounded by the suburbs of Vogeltown, Newtown, Melrose, Island Bay, Kingston, and ...
, Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, are an example of mass housing designed in the international style
International style (architecture)
The International style is a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the formative decades of Modern architecture. The term originated from the name of a book by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style...
. The flats were designed by F. Gordon Wilson (1900–1959), chief architect at the Department of Housing Construction.
Context
The New Zealand governmentPolitics of New Zealand
The politics of New Zealand take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy. The basic system is closely patterned on that of the Westminster System, although a number of significant modifications have been made...
had first become involved in the provision of housing when the Workers’ Dwelling Act,
which allowed the state to build and lease houses to workers, was passed in 1905. However, only after the election of the first Labour government in 1935 was there large-scale state involvement in the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
housing market. One of many measures that was undertaken by the first Labour government was the launch of a state housing
State housing
State housing is the system of public housing offered to New Zealand residents on low to moderate incomes. Some 66,000 houses are managed by Housing New Zealand Corporation, most of which are owned by the government.-The Liberal Government:...
scheme to provide every New Zealander with a home that, in Walter Nash
Walter Nash
Sir Walter Nash, GCMG, CH served as the 27th Prime Minister of New Zealand in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960, and was also highly influential in his role as Minister of Finance...
’s words, would be “fit for a cabinet minister”. The Department of Housing Construction, with its own architects, was established, and by 1940 almost 10,000 new single-unit dwellings had been constructed.
In March 1938, the government announced the construction of the first block of multiunit flats, at Berhampore
Berhampore, New Zealand
Berhampore is a suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It lies towards the south of the city, seven kilometres from the city centre, and two kilometres from the coast of Cook Strait. It is surrounded by the suburbs of Vogeltown, Newtown, Melrose, Island Bay, Kingston, and ...
. Although single-unit dwellings had been preferred, the government felt that the housing problem was of such magnitude that every approach should be encouraged, and that advances in multi-unit complexes were such that they had become more socially acceptable.
The location of the flats, a short tram ride from Courtenay Place
Courtenay Place, Wellington
Courtenay Place is the main street of the Courtenay Quarter in the Wellington, New Zealand inner-city district of Te Aro.Courtenay Place is known for its entertainment and nightlife. Many restaurants are open late and most of the bars stay open until dawn...
, was intended to give convenient access to the tenants’ workplaces, and reduce urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
.
Architecture
The scheme consisted of 48 one-, two- or three-bedroom units, and 11 garages, planned to maximize open spaces. Particular attention was paid to maximizing sunlight, with the buildings on the northern side being limited to one storey, living rooms built to thesun, windows as large as practicable and balconies included in all units above ground level. Other features were an emphasis on built-in services and consideration of sound insulation between the units. The complex included a community centre in the
central garden area.
Engineering
Reinforced-concreteReinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
construction mitigated earthquake and fire risks, and reduced maintenance and construction costs.
Construction and alterations
The Berhampore Flats were completed in 1938–39. Major renovations and alterations were carried out by the New Zealand Housing Corporation in 1987, but the original character of the scheme is still evident. The complex was given "Category I" historic place status by the New Zealand Historic Places TrustNew Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
in 1998.