The category 1 historic building is one of the university’s oldest, and vital maintenance work is about to begin on what is now the university’s School of Performing Arts concert hall.
The Port Chalmers breccia and Oamaru stone facility was designed by prominent Dunedin architect Edmund Anscombe, and completed in 1923 in the style of the pre-existing university registry and geology buildings, which were designed by Maxwell Bury.
Originally, the hall was built for the military training of medical students, with surplus money from the Ministry of Defence’s Hospital Ships’ fund.
It was named the Maheno and Marama Hall, after two World War 1 hospital ships.
However, the training corps was disbanded before the drill hall officially opened, so it was used by the students’ union until 1960.
The education department moved in until 1968, before it was taken over by the music department.
University of Otago campus development head Gordon Roy said the work involved stonework repairs, painting and the replacement of cast iron rainwater goods.
He said the project was part of an ongoing programme to ensure the university’s heritage assets were suitably maintained.
It was estimated the project would be finished by August 2025, but work on heritage buildings was complicated and the timeline could be extended if structural problems were uncovered during the project, Mr Roy said.
During the work, staff will be temporarily relocated to the Performing Arts Centre and the Archway Building, and concerts will be held in Hanover Hall — home of the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra.
