Civic Trust
  • Home
  • About Us
    • What we do
    • Meet the Team
    • Save the Date
    • Newsletters
  • Featured Articles
  • Heritage & History
    • Heritage NZ Listed Category 1
    • Awards & Grants
  • Get involved
    • Become a member
    • Make a donation chasing coin
  • Street Art
  • Blue Plaques
  • Contact
    • Links
    • Facebook Page
Featured Articles

The CFCA Building

10/4/2016

0 Comments

 
One of the early landmark buildings in Timaru was the CFCA building, a large department store spanning a whole block from Beswick to Strathallan St, and operating on two main floor levels.  The building had been designed by Black & Dunning of Cape Town as the result of an international competition.
 
Following demolition the site was filled by a new office building designed by Wilkie & Bruce of Christchurch.  In deference to the impressive size of the original building the architects have not only filled the site from street to street, but have also created large open terraces on the north side to create an illusion of size.
 
The open concrete frames enclose spaces that do not appear to be used, but succeed in increasing the scale of the building and add to the streetscape.
 
The soft landscaping to the Strathallan St side was important.  Selected by landscape architect Peter Rough the original choice around the base of the building was a dense arrangement of ice plants in pink/purple shades that complemented the maroon colour of the tiled columns.
 
Of much greater significance was Peter Rough’s inspired selection of an American red ash species fraxinus pennsylvanica as the principal tree for this site.  Some years later when the CBD upgrade was promoted by the Timaru District Council this species was adopted as the signature tree for the project.  The modest size together with the picturesque form of the ash has led to a successful outcome.
 

David McBride

​
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Back to Articles

    View by date

    Archives

    February 2021
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015

    Categories

    All
    Featured Articles

Picture
CONTACT US
PO Box 125 Timaru 7940

Email [email protected]
Picture
Picture

© Timaru Civic Trust | Website by Corporate Print
Imagery supplied by Brian High Productions ©
  • Home
  • About Us
    • What we do
    • Meet the Team
    • Save the Date
    • Newsletters
  • Featured Articles
  • Heritage & History
    • Heritage NZ Listed Category 1
    • Awards & Grants
  • Get involved
    • Become a member
    • Make a donation chasing coin
  • Street Art
  • Blue Plaques
  • Contact
    • Links
    • Facebook Page