Esplanade Heritage Church
A heritage renovation of a Category B listed Neo-Classical church in Mt Eden, converted into four bespoke apartments with seismic strengthening, structural restoration, and bespoke interior craftsmanship.
Gel Architects
Architect
Mt Eden, Auckland
Location
3 Years
Duration
Heritage Renovation
Project Type
THE BRIEFOriginally completed in 1900 and designed in Neo-Classical style, this Mt Eden church occupies a prominent corner site on Esplanade Road. After sitting abandoned for 15 years, the Category B heritage listed building had found itself caught between its historic significance and the cost of bringing it back to life.
Gel Architects was commissioned to resolve that tension, converting the structure into four bespoke apartments while preserving everything that made it worth saving in the first place.
As main contractor, JW Build Group was engaged to lead the delivery of this Auckland heritage renovation. The project required specialised experience in heritage restoration, seismic strengthening, and the kind of careful, methodical craftsmanship that listed buildings demand. Working under the close scrutiny of Heritage Council departments and consultants, every decision on site had to balance construction progress with the protection of the building's historic fabric.
THE CHALLENGEHeritage construction in Auckland operates on a different set of rules. Nothing can be rushed, nothing can be improvised, and every trade has to understand that what they are working on is irreplaceable.
The structural scope alone was significant. Approximately 240 steel beams were installed within the existing building envelope to bring the structure to a 75% seismic rating, a complex piece of seismic strengthening work completed without compromising the heritage fabric visible from the street or within the apartments themselves.
The material constraints were equally demanding. Original Kauri linings and detailing had to be carefully dismantled, catalogued, and stored for exact re-installation. Eight original Kauri ceiling roses were individually refurbished and repositioned. Every decision on what to remove, what to retain, and what to repurpose required sign-off, precision, and patience.
THE RESULTThe finished apartments are a study in contrast, exposed structural steel and dramatic voids sitting alongside restored Kauri joinery and refurbished ceiling roses. The original roof sarking was milled into polished timber floors. The original bearers and floor joists became balustrading and floating stair treads. Nothing was wasted and nothing was faked.
Two mezzanine floors were integrated into each apartment, with soaring voids drawing natural light down through the refurbished original windows. The result is four Auckland apartments that are unmistakably contemporary in their feel while remaining unmistakably faithful to the building's 124-year history.
Esplanade Heights stands as one of Auckland's most significant heritage conversion and apartment renovation projects, and one of the most technically demanding builds JW Build Group has undertaken.
“Heritage work is humbling. You are responsible for something that has been standing for over a century, and your job is to make sure it stands for another. The craftsmanship required on this project, from every single member of the team, was exceptional. This is the kind of work we are most proud of."
Founders Thoughts
