Visitors to Auckland’s Guardian Trust building are welcomed by a striking Edwardian facade, presenting enormous pillars wrapped in bronze and a splendid original foyer with grey Kairuru marble walls and terrazzo floors.
There’s timber-panelled lifts and decorative spiral stairs edged with a swirling, wrought-iron balustrade.
Its heritage is palpable - a consideration that weighed on the minds of the owners of apartment 801, when converting an existing office into their home.
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Originally an office, apartment 801 was converted into a home with sleek eco-friendly Dutch flooring and chandeliers. Photo / Supplied
“With the help our architect, we wanted to preserve the heritage of the building, but with a modern approach,” says the owner, who undertook the refit with her husband 20 years ago.
Completed in 1918, the New Zealand Guardian Trust building was designed by architect William Gummer to convey an air of strength and prosperity, he certainly succeeded.
The building is arguably one of Auckland’s most notable historic and architectural landmarks.
The decorative spiral stairs edged with a swirling, wrought-iron balustrade at Auckland’s Guardian Trust building. Photo / Supplied
Apartment 801’s original brass doors, cornices and Edwardian details remain, but co-exist with the couple’s introduction of rich drapes, sleek eco-friendly Dutch flooring, specialised Spanish tiles, chandeliers and double-glazed aluminium joinery.
Possibly most striking of all is the addition of the circular skylight with a central floral motif, floated above the apartment’s entrance.
The apartment’s generous kitchen and living area have served the keen entertainers well, hosting Christmases, Easters, birthdays and every celebration in between.
Apartment 801 has four bedrooms, one of which is currently used as an office, and two bathrooms. Photo / Supplied
The kitchen is the most recent update, designed by Maggie Gardener who conceived a full modern chef’s kitchen, with the brief to integrate with the building’s existing character.
“The kitchen has everything you need to serve large amounts of people. We’ve had parties here for 200, and the kitchen delivered, it was designed for exactly that,” says the owner.
The area opens onto a large terrace with immediate cityscape views. The home offers four bedrooms, one currently used as an office, and two bathrooms.
The New Zealand Guardian Trust building was designed by architect William Gummer to convey an air of strength and prosperity. Photo / Supplied
“The master bedroom is three times that of a standard room, it’s quite large,” describes the owner. It’s supplemented with a large walk-in wardrobe and fully tiled ensuite with double showers.
The couple has whole heartedly embraced the inner-city location and all it offers.
“We are very social people; my daughter has grown up a city girl, she knows the city like the palm of her hand. Everything is here, we exercise in Albert Park and along the waterfront.
The apartment has hosted parties for 200 people, and, according to the current owners, the kitchen has delivered every single time. Photo / Supplied
“The restaurants and luxury shopping of Britomart and Commercial Bay have really lifted the area. People tend to come to us, and we rarely use the car,” the owner asserts.
Ray White agent Jon Clarke, who is marketing the property with colleague Hrushab Shenoy, says, “It’s a grand apartment with great sense of space. It has really good flow making it perfect for entertaining. The location is fantastic, with everything at your doorstep.”
801/105 Queen Street in Auckland CBD will be sold at auction on March 30.
