During a previous ownership, the historic Standard Insurance Building in the Exchange had its street elevation stripped of all decorative plaster detail. Fortunately for the city the current building owner, Exchange Renaissance Ltd, has honoured to reinstate the lost ornament.
Plaster craft specialist Daniel Pollard of Historic Building Conservation has been engaged to render the work.
The Standard Building at 201 Princes St is located between the old National Bank and the old Bank of New Zealand. A call for historical photographs of the original Standard Insurance Building facade has gone out to inform the facade reinstatement project.
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A small number of historical photographs have been located, including the two images published here with the building owner’s permission. However, the photographs obtained provide an insufficient level of detail to successfully design and render the capitals of the arched windows.
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The style of the building and the historical photographs together suggest a Corinthian-style capital was used orginally; the pilasters being square further define the shape. However, many different styles of Corinthian capitals are apparent on buildings of this era, therefore photographs of the Standard Building prior to 1969 are needed.
• Someone may have taken photographs of the old BNZ and National banks that include a view of the Standard Building’s capitals.
• Someone may hold original plans or records of the building, or know someone who was commissioned to remove the capitals in 1969.
If so, please contact Daniel Pollard, Historic Building Conservation, with your information.
Email: info@buildingconservation.co.nz
Phone: 03 489 0930
Mobile: 021 047 4007
Related Post:
24.10.11 Former Standard Insurance building, 201 Princes St, Dunedin
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
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