Majestic Centre

The Majestic Centre, designed by Jack Manning of Manning Mitchell in association with Kendon McGrail of Jasmax Architects, was completed in 1991. The main building of the Majestic Centre is the Majestic Tower which is the tallest building in Wellington, New Zealand. The building, located on 100 Willis Street is 116 metres (381 ft) high and has 29 storeys, making it the ninth-tallest skyscraper building in New Zealand, along with the ASB Bank Centre in Auckland. It was, at the time of its completion, one of the three tallest buildings in the country, the two other contenders (ANZ Centre and ASB Tower in Auckland) being built in the same year. It is mainly used as office space.

Majestic Centre
Majestic Tower at 100 Willis Street
General information
TypeOffice
Architectural stylePost-Modernism
Location100 Willis Street, Wellington, New Zealand
Coordinates41°17′18.13″S 174°46′28.09″E
Construction started1987
Completed1991
OwnerKiwi Income Properties Trust
Primaq Holdings (former)[1]
Height116 metres (381 ft)
Technical details
Floor count29
Design and construction
ArchitectManning & Associates/Jasmax
Structural engineerHolmes Consulting Group
Services engineerNorman Disney & Young[2]
Main contractorMainzeal Property and Construction

The site was originally occupied by the Majestic theatre, also used as a cinema and cabaret which operated from 1929 to 1984. The cabaret was a key venue for ballroom events in Wellington. By the time of its closure in 1984, the cabaret was deemed to be an earthquake risk, and demolition began in 1987 to make way for its namesake high-rise building.[1] Dr Henry Pollen's House (aka House of Ladies) had to be saved as a condition of using the site.[3] This building was moved from its original site[4] at 12 Boulcott St down to the corner of Boulcott and Willis Streets. The Willis Street frontage of the Majestic Centre also incorporates the three-storey Edwardian Classical brick façade of Preston's Building, which was constructed in the early 1900s.[5]

The curved shape of the Majestic Centre's tower was determined by wind parameters set by Wellington City Council, aimed at reducing wind gusts at street level and around buildings.[6] The Willis Street entrance to the building consists of a three-storey high foyer with a glass roof, reputedly the biggest in the southern hemisphere at the time of construction.[3] The exterior of the tower is clad in bands of blue glass and alucobond on the curved area, with precast reconstituted granite concrete panels and a red granite used on other parts of the tower.[6] A crystallized glass called Neo-Paries, a granite alternative, was used inside the foyer.[6] At the top of the tower is a crown of lights on poles.

As of 2014, Ernst & Young New Zealand is the anchor tenant, with naming rights to the building. Other tenants include Opus International Consultants Limited, the Japanese Embassy, Cigna Life Insurance New Zealand Ltd, the Earthquake Commission and Airways Corporation.[7]

Following the 2011 Canterbury earthquake, the Majestic Tower was assessed by engineering consultants to be of moderate earthquake risk, with strengthening costs initially estimated at NZD$35 million,[7] later revised upwards to $83-$85 million. The work was completed to 100% earthquake compliance in 2016.[8][9]

See also

References
  1. Peter Kitchin (12 May 2007). "When life was a cabaret, old chum". Dominion Post.
  2. The Majestic Centre listing on Emporis (accessed September 22, 2006).
  3. Swain, Pauline (22 March 1991). "Monument to confidence". The Dominion. p. 13.
  4. "HENRY POLLEN". 1918 Influenza Karori Cemetery Project. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  5. "Preston's Building - Wellington Heritage - Absolutely Positively Wellington City Council Me Heke Ki Poneke". wellingtoncityheritage.org.nz. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  6. Daly-Peoples, John (28 June 1991). "Building up to it". NBR Weekly Magazine (Supplement to National Business Review.). p. 33.
  7. 18 months to reinforce Majestic Centre
  8. Hank Schouten (12 November 2014). "Majestic centre upgrade blows out". The Dominion Post.
  9. Amy Jackman (18 March 2016). "How the Majestic Centre was made safe with steel, concrete and $83.5 million". The Dominion Post.


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