And now, the lighting designer has been recognised for his work with two awards of excellence at the Illumination Engineering Society lighting awards on October 18.
After 5pm every night, a “shaft of light” accentuates the difference between the two types of stone on the 143-year-old structure, which is one of five working timeballs in the world.
Mr Cawley who took on the lighting project after being asked by Heritage New Zealand director for the southern region Sheila Watson.
His aim was to “respect the architectural integrity of the tower and enhance the beauty of the structure by night.”
At the awards, Mr Cawley received one award from IES and one from the Royal Astronomical Society of NZ for efficiently, effectively, sustainably protecting the night environment.
“I was stoked. I felt extremely proud,” he said.
Built in 1876 to a design by architect Thomas Cane, the timeball signalled the correct time for ships in Lyttelton Harbour until 1934.
The reconstruction of the station after it was destroyed in the February 22, 2011, earthquake was completed in October last year.
Mr Cawley has lit up some of Christchurch’s most iconic buildings, including the Isaac Theatre Royal and the Christchurch Casino.
