Old Government Buildings, Wellington

Old Government Buildings
Government Buildings
The Old Government Buildings seen from the front right
General information
Architectural style	Neo-Renaissance
Location	15 Lambton Quay, Wellington, New Zealand
Coordinates	41°16′46″S 174°46′41″E / 41.279484°S 174.777975°E / -41.279484; 174.777975Coordinates: 41°16′46″S 174°46′41″E / 41.279484°S 174.777975°E / -41.279484; 174.777975
Current tenants	Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Law
Construction started	1875
Completed	1876
Landlord	Department of Conservation
Technical details
Floor count	4
Design and construction
Architect	William Clayton
Heritage New Zealand – Category I
Designated	2 July 1982
Reference no.	37

The Government Buildings Historic Reserve, or more commonly referred to as the Old Government Buildings, is situated on Lambton Quay in Wellington. It was completed in 1876, and until 1998 was the second-largest wooden building in the world (after Tōdai-ji in Nara, Japan).

It was built to house New Zealand's civil service, and now houses the Victoria University of Wellington's Law School. The building, is classified as a "Category I" ("places of 'special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value'") historic place by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, previously known as the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.

The building was commissioned in the early 1870s by the Fox Ministry, partially in anticipation of the abolition of the provincial governments. It was originally planned to have the building constructed in concrete and timber, but the cost of concrete at the time led to a decision to build in timber alone. The Italianate, Neo-Renaissance style was usually the domain of stone buildings, thus the building is designed to mimic stone. As an important symbol of nationhood the building was constructed to resemble an Italian stone palace to help convey its strength and stability in the expanding empire. The timber is native kauri, which could not be replicated because New Zealand's remaining public kauri forests are permanently protected. If the building had been constructed out of stone as planned, it may not have survived subsequent earthquakes, as it is situated near a major fault line. The architect was William Clayton and the contractors were Scoular and Archibald. When it opened in 1876, after 22 months of construction, and at a cost of £39 000, it was easily the largest building in the country and is now considered to be one of New Zealand's most important historic buildings. The building was built on reclaimed land.