Consultancy House, Landmark office building in Dunedin, New Zealand
Consultancy House is a seven-story office building in Dunedin designed according to Chicago School principles with large glass windows and semicircular arches. The structure houses professional offices and a fitness center on the ground level, with two elevators connecting all floors for accessibility.
Constructed between 1908 and 1910 by architects Sidney and Alfred Luttrell, it was the first building in New Zealand to use prefabricated concrete slabs made off-site. This construction method was innovative at the time and demonstrated how modern techniques could speed up building work.
The building brought American architectural ideas to New Zealand in the early 1900s and showed how modern design was becoming part of local construction. The large windows and open layout were new to the region and changed what people expected from office spaces.
Two elevators make the building easy to navigate for visitors to the office spaces and ground-level facilities. The ground floor is generally accessible during the day, though upper floors are reserved for tenants and may not be open to the public.
The original central staircase inside remains one of the few preserved original features and shows the craftsmanship of that era. This detail gives the modern office building a particular character despite extensive renovations over the years.
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