Priory repurposing
St Dominic's Priory sits above Dunedin's city centre and is a key building on the cityscape. Designed by Francis Petre and constructed between 1877 and 1889, at the time it was the largest mass concrete building in the southern hemisphere. The priory is a Category One Historic Place building with protective covenants in place creating parameters for adaption, and has been vacant and in decay since the 1980s.
Adaption of an existing unused building reduces the need for increased infrastructure and therefore reduces the environmental impact. Using an important historic building also maintains diversity within the built environment and acts as a visual link to local history.
High density apartments are proposed for three of the four floors, providing 20 homes to best utilise the inner-city location. The remainder of the 2400 square metre floor area is proposed as leasable commercial space. The rear of the site can be excavated to create a community focused Living Learning Centre and urban organic market garden, to open the heritage building up and revitalise social engagement and community integration.