Dampier House in Lyttelton is one of the oldest houses in Christchurch with the earliest part of the building believed to have been constructed around 1848-50.
Since then, the house has been substantially altered with various additions carried out in the 1920s and 1930s. The result is a rather charming idiosyncratic and eclectic mx of various materials and forms.
The building was substantially damaged following the Canterbury earthquakes. DPA Architects was responsible for the remediation and structural upgrading of the building. To achieve this the building was lifted 1.5m above the ground to facilitate the construction of new foundations.
The building is now down on its new foundations and restoration, some modifications, and additions are currently being carried out in a manner that respects the existing building form.
Returning the building to it’s original form, in this case, was not appropriate, so forms and features from the various eras were documented for inclusion in the final proposal where a careful balance was required for them to coexist.