SANSOM’S HERITAGE RESTORATION AT ST STEPHEN’S SCHOOL

Overview

St Stephen’s School in South Auckland is set to re-open after being closed for 20 years. The former Māori boys’ boarding school dates back to 1848 and has been left relatively unused since its closure.

Now, works are underway to revitalise this historic institution and welcome a new generation of students.

Based on our reputation and prior experience with similar heritage building projects, including Auckland Town Hall, Auckland Art Gallery, and Auckland Museum, St Stephen’s Queen Victoria Trust reached out to Sansom to undertake the concrete repairs phase for this significant restoration project.

Our Involvement 

Sansom’s Concrete Repairs Division was tasked to structurally reinforce the East dormitory building, preparing it to safely house the first group of returning students. Our solution for this needed to enhance the building’s safety and preserve its historical integrity.

However, at over 170 years old, St Stephen’s presented unique constraints that made traditional construction techniques unsuitable.

To meet this delicate balance, the Rockbond Heritage system, designed by Dizhur Consulting Design, was then installed by our team. This specialised solution is specifically engineered for heritage structures.

The Rockbond system is designed to strengthen existing masonry structures that do not meet the current earthquake standards. It incorporates various elements, including special mortars, CFRP reinforcement mesh, and connectors, to secure the masonry.

Notably, this system also uses carbon fibre-reinforced protection (CFRP) anchors inserted through the walls and into the foundation slabs, significantly enhancing the building’s structural integrity.

While the Rockbond system provided the necessary structural reinforcement, maintaining the building’s historical authenticity required additional, careful preservation efforts.

To address these preservation concerns, our team took care when removing bricks for reinforcement installation. Each brick was numbered and reinstalled in its original position to keep the structure as authentic as possible.

During construction, it was noted that the surface mortar was drying faster than the underlying layers, likely due to wind exposure. Our team swiftly addressed this by removing and replacing the affected areas, ensuring consistent quality across the entire structure.

Outcome

As St Stephen’s restoration progresses, Sansom is proud to contribute our expertise to a project of historic significance that will soon serve the younger generations in our community.

We’re committed to ensuring the entire campus meets current safety standards while preserving its history as we continue working on other school buildings.

The success of this project highlights the importance of collaboration and teamwork among all stakeholders, from the St Stephen’s Queen Victoria Trust to our team, resulting in the best possible outcome for this important restoration.