St Patrick’s Cathedral

St Patrick’s Cathedral is a Category I Heritage Building and the principal church of the Catholic Diocese of Auckland.  After more than 100 years of service, the building was becoming structurally unsound and required extensive conservation and restoration. 

The restoration of the cathedral was part of a suite of works that included remodelling of the surrounding St Patrick’s Square (in conjunction with Auckland City) to create a more attractive setting; conserving the Presbytery – built in 1888 to a design by E Mahoney and Son, and another Category I listed building; and redeveloping Liston House to improve the definition of the Cathedral’s setting and provide for underground parking, eliminating vehicular traffic from the west side of the square. 

The conservation and restoration work on the cathedral itself included structural strengthening, restoration of the slate roof, weather proofing, and new electrical, sound, ventilation, and fire protection services.  In addition, the opportunity was taken to address the blank east wall of the Apse. 

This wall had originally been occupied by the High Altar.  But when the altar was removed and the central Sanctuary platform created in 1984, the wall was left blank.  From an architectural point of view, the blank wall was unfulfilling and an unsuccessful termination of the main axis of the Nave.  The solution was the addition of a small chapel dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament, and the opening-up of the Rose Window.