Wellington, New Zealand

The Old Bank Arcade is one of Wellington’s most distinguished heritage buildings.

The Bank of New Zealand was founded in Auckland in 1861, opening its first Wellington branch in 1862 and getting its first permanent building a year later in 1863. With the Head Office of the Bank being transferred to Wellington in 1894, new premises were needed to house the emerging financial institution. Thus, Thomas Turnbull – a notable New Zealand architect at the time – was tasked with designing the bank’s newest headquarters in 1899. T Carmichael was contracted to construct the building in 1899 and the project was completed by 1901.

In the course of Wellington’s 19th-20th century history, four Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) buildings were erected. All in the same central business district street block and each with their own distinctive architectural style. The Old Bank Arcade was the first of the lot, occupying a prominent wedge-shaped site on the corner of Lambton Quay. The building was the only one of the four to be directly commissioned by the BNZ itself and is considered one of Turnbull’s most accomplished Classical designs along the course of his career.
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