Week 1: Site Research

The Auckland Wintergardens is located on the Auckland Domain grounds. The gardens consist of two Victorian style glass houses, one of which is heated, a courtyard with a sunken pool, a fernery, and pergolas connecting the structures and layout (see image below). The entrance is north facing with the fernery to the south of the gardens. Much like the rest of the domain and facilities, the gardens are often used for weddings, photography and other events.

The Domain Wintergardens were designed by William Henry Gummer and Charles Reginald Ford of Gummer & Ford and began construction in 1916. The gardens were a commemoration to the Industrial, Agricultural and Mining Exhibition of 1913-1914 as well as a response to the domains attraction of “undesirables”. Although plans for the gardens had gone head together, the Temperate/Cool house was built first, being finished in 1921 while the rest of the gardens was constructed later in the 1920’s. Other modifications and additions such as the statues and sunken pool were conducted later in the 1940’s and 1950’s.

The main structural material properties are glass, barrel-vaulted steel and brick which play a part in creating the indoor and outdoor spaces of the gardens. The Domain Gardens became a Historic Place Category 1 in September of 1989.

As mentioned before, The Auckland Domain Wintergardens are located on the Auckland Domain. The domain is Auckland’s oldest park, the land being put aside in 1841 (the year following the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi)as Crown land and hen being opened to the public as a place of recreation in 1844. The domain is located around the cone of Pukekawa, an extinct volcano.

Along with the Auckland Wintergardens, in the 1920’s the Auckland War Memorial Museum was built on the domain to rehome the Auckland Museum and to also pay tribute to the fallen New Zealanders from WWI.

In the 1940’s, Auckland Domain was used as camp for American Troops (see image below). Today the domain is used for many different activities and has a range of facilities available as on of the largest parks in Auckland.

Information Sources:
– https://www.gardens.org.nz/auckland-gardens/auckland-domain-wintergardens/
– https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/parks-recreation/Pages/park-details.aspx?Location=126#wintergardens
– https://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details/124
– https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/your-museum/about/the-history-of-auckland-museum
– https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plans-projects-policies-reports-bylaws/our-plans-strategies/place-based-plans/docsaucklandmasterplan/auckland-domain-master-plan-part-one.pdf