Fine attention to detail and keeping with the century-old aesthetic has helped win Wellington's re-vamped opera house a major painting award.
The opera house was nearly closed down due to earthquake strengthening in 2012, but was instead given a yellow sticker, meaning the Wellington City Council had to upgrade it within 10 years.The classified historic building, which first opened in 1914, was one of a number of projects across the country in this year's Resene Total Colour Heritage Award.
"Breathtakingly beautiful; a monochromatic delicate colour palette has been applied with such care and attention. The subtly of the colours lures you in; the longer you look, the more you can appreciate the exquisite detailing and the colours as they gently complement each other," the judges wrote.
Since it first opened, the building has gone through several makeovers in both style and colour, the most recent of which was in the 1990s.
The project was commissioned by the Wellington City Council which owns the building and Positively Wellington Venues which manages it.
They wanted to pay homage to the building's ornate features and enhance the plasterwork in the interior façade, interior foyers and the auditorium.
The work was inspired by photos from the opera house's opening day in 1914, and while they were black and white, it was clear the plasterwork was accentuated by colour.
To give the situation a sense of urgency, all the wet works had to be done over three weeks over the New Year break in between the opera house's final and first show for the respective seasons.
Newshub.
