12 August, 2020

TGS reveals restored heritage character

The official reopening of Takapuna Grammar School’s restored main block is just the start of plans to further integrate the school with its community, said proud principal Mary Nixon.

Speaking to the Flagstaff ahead of the Friday 14 August opening, she said: “It just feels like an honour to be showing something so enhanced that was set up for purpose 93 years ago.”

The major project has restored heritage features, structurally reinforced the building to meet earthquake standards and updated classroom interiors.

The result is a contemporary learning envi- ronment with the character of an earlier era. Nixon says Takapuna Grammar (TGS) was fortunate to have had the building renovated to such an exacting standard, in what was a six-year project steered by the Ministry of Education.

Nixon’s tenure began two years into the project, which took two years longer to com- plete than originally planned, but was worth the wait. “What they’ve done is spectacular.”

The public has a chance to see inside the building, including its heritage-listed central section, on Saturday morning (15 August). A time slot for a tour, to be taken by prefects, can be booked by phone through the school office for a gold-coin donation.

Nixon said money raised will go towards more planting to enhance the school grounds.

The main driveway has been planted with a row of liquid amber trees leading to the restored entrance steps and wooden doorway.

Inside the reception area, original wooden archways, doors and panelling have been polished up and Art Deco plasterwork freshly painted. Honours boards have pride of place.

Nixon took the Flagstaff for an early tour, giving readers an idea of the restoration. “It’s glorious but it’s fit for purpose and not extravagant,” Nixon said.

An example was the bespoke carpet tiles just inside the entrance. These were cheaper than commissioning carpet, but still special in that they featured school colours and picked up on a water theme reflecting the school’s location near the sea.

For those unable to visit on the open day, Nixon is looking at other opportunities to en- gage with former pupils and local residents.

One idea is to host an afternoon tea for older alumni. “We want to show them a working school – they’d love to see how classes are now.”

What they will notice is lighter and brighter rooms, with walls between the corridors and classrooms upstairs replaced by glass.

Wide glass doors have also been installed between classrooms to encourage interaction. “This increases the collaboration that is going on,” said Nixon. So too, the type of furniture chosen, such as shared tables.

Younger former pupils are another group the school is keen to stay connected with.

“We want to tap into them, and get them along to talk to current students,” said Nixon. Unusually for its day, TGS was set up as a co-ed school. Before that, students had to ferry to the city or travel to Northcote for secondary schooling.

As part of the renovation, artwork of former pupils, including Barry Brickell, Rob Tucker and Oliver Cain, is to be hung in the main block. “We’ve always been strong in developing people who have gone into the arts,” said Nixon. A loan of pieces from the Wallace Foundation has also been arranged for display.

Nixon herself is enjoying a new larger office, after years in a prefab. It is across from the principal’s original office. She is particularly pleased how sympathetic interior dec- oration and better lighting have transformed the look throughout. Painted steel window frames have been stripped back and are now picked out in smart period-appropriate black. In her office, the panes show the school crest.

A centrepiece of the restoration is the stained- glass window in the Tower Room. Due to rusting of its frame and the age of the glass, specialists in Sweden were called on to work on this from computer images. Now backlit to show its colours, it is a key feature of the building seen from the outside.

The Tower Room will provide a home for school memorabilia and the display of students’ work. “The music people love it, it has a wonderful resonance,” said Nixon. The high-ceilinged room features large vertical steel reinforcing beams, but even these have been repurposed. Painted white, they are decorated in the school blue, with the years picked out in gold leaf paint.

With the restoration now complete, Nixon said attention could be turned to planning for the school centenary in 2027.