Irving Smith Architects has transformed a dilapidated heritage mansion into a house gallery that pays tribute to the past and is ready for the future. The project is Aigantighe Art Gallery, and the design was undertaken by Irving Smith Architects (ISA), with Andrew Irving and Jeremy Smith and their team leading the renewal alongside specialist consultants, Heritage Architect, Ian Bowman and Dunning Thornton Engineers.
Restoring a Timaru Landmark
Aigantighe Art Gallery began as a competition and was three and a half years in the making. Initially the design competition was for a replacement art gallery that is situated next to a heritage mansion; however, a change in finances saw this idea put on hold. Instead, and with a more minimal budget, it was decided that only the heritage house would be renewed, transformed into a more intimate gallery that would see the past and present comfortably aligned.
With this project, the architects celebrate the history of the house and bring to the community something that the existing gallery did not have – small format gallery spaces for more intimate exhibitions. Smith explains: “If you imagine someone [whom] one of the local regional towns might exhibit, and they might take a floor, the whole upper floor… or someone might exhibit from the bridge club from one of the local towns, and they might have just two paintings – now there is the place to do that.”
Irving and Smith worked closely with gallery manager, Cara Fitzgerald, while the exiting home was painstakingly renovated. As Irving made monthly site visits to check on progress, Fitzgerald was integral to the day-to-day working of the project, and so architects and gallery manager collaborated to ensure the project was a success.
It was essential to the design that the original architecture should be maintained, and this also entailed preserving the layout of the existing rooms. While upgrading the building proved challenging, as all heritage projects undoubtedly are, the end result is exceptional with little interior or exterior change to the naked eye. The intention of the various rooms has been kept intact, and panels are hung over walls to offer the space for showcasing art. These can be painted different colours as an exhibition requires and only the subtle lighting tracks on the ceilings inform the visitor that technology and all utilities and building services have been updated.
Modernising the Heritage Structure
Earthquake regulations often require the removal of vulnerable exterior features like chimneys in heritage buildings. The team at ISA found a solution that preserved the integrity of the house while meeting safety standards. They commissioned a local boat manufacturer to create casts of the original chimneys and fabricated them out of glass-reinforced plastic. The material choice avoids the brittleness of glass-reinforced cement, and the new chimneys were reinstated to complete the original heritage character of the exterior. As a result, the outside of the building appears more or less in its original condition.
The project successfully works through the challenge of updating a non-compliant historic building. Irving Smith Architects ensured the structure meets approximately 80 per cent of the current earthquake code. This achievement highlights the complex balance between respecting history and ensuring modern safety. The restoration process involved removing layers of wall and wallpaper to discover the original cooking oven. This appliance was lovingly restored, along with fireplaces, and an alcove seat was introduced in a bay window. These details reinforce the feeling that the spaces are a home that happens to be a gallery.
Art is integrated into every room with careful consideration of the original function. Grouping artwork together, the installation avoids interrupting the facility of the room. For instance, paintings are not hung on the hearth of a fireplace but are positioned opposite it. This approach maintains the clear intention of the space. Unobtrusive signage is also used to denote a room’s original use. The lighting tracks on the ceilings are subtle enough to inform visitors of the updated technology without dominating the visual experience.
The mansion was gifted to Timaru when the town lacked an art gallery by an established local family. This context gives the renewed building deep cultural significance. At the opening party, Irving spoke with two women and learned one was a grandchild of the original owners. She showed him wedding photographs taken in the room that had been restored. Standing by the fireplace, she cried as she looked at the space. This moment captured the essence of the project, a personal connection between the past and the present.
