Work on the reconstruction of the historic Urrbrae Gatehouse in its new location is now complete, as the building prepares to serve the community for generations to come.
The Gatehouse was relocated and rebuilt on Claremont Avenue at the University of Adelaide's Waite Campus as part of the Federal and State governments' $61 million Cross and Fullarton roads intersection upgrade, which opened in late 2023.
The rebuilt gatehouse includes an interior restoration and modern extension, designed by Dash Architects, which has protected the Gatehouse's historic value and ensured the building can be used well into the future.
The specialised process of dismantling and rebuilding the Gatehouse was carried out by G-Force Building and Consulting. This involved accurately recording key parts of the building, carefully cleaning and labelling parts, and storing them safely.
The new layout was set out to ensure it matches the footprint of the original Gatehouse by referring to 3D scans, drawings and photographs taken during the decommissioning of the building.
Heritage-listed elements were reconstructed piece by piece, coupled with modern yet complementary construction techniques. New stonework was also carved by hand to replicate elements that had previously been poorly conserved.
The Gatehouse was built for Peter Waite around 1883 as part of the Urrbrae House estate south of the city. In recent years it had become unused, with additions made during the mid-20th century falling into disrepair.
Ownership of the building will now be handed over to the University of Adelaide, who will use the space to support staff and volunteers who contribute to the Waite Campus, Urrbrae House and the Waite Arboretum.
As put by Susan Close
I am very pleased to see this project completed. The gatehouse looks better than it's looked for a long time.
Retaining the heritage aspects of the Gatehouse while adding a modern, functional space at the rear will ensure that this historic building can continue to be enjoyed and utilised well into the future.
The building will now be handed over to the University of Adelaide and the Waite Arboretum volunteers, and I know it'll provide a valuable community resource.
As put by Paul Glassenbury, Director, G-Force Building & Consulting
Dismantling a 140-year-old bluestone building and cataloguing every stone, preserving every piece including windows, doors, glazing and bricks has been an amazing and unique challenge. The project has been delivered with a strong focus on quality all the way through and we thank DIT for their understanding and support.
This truly has been a wonderful team approach with all stakeholders in a terrific example of collaboration, trust and respect.
We are passionate about conserving our state's heritage assets and to be able to relocate such an iconic building has been both an honour and an unbelievable challenge.
We are very proud of the efforts and skills of our team to deliver the relocation of this building to the highest levels of quality and heritage conservation principles.
As put by Mark Branson, Campus Manager – Waite & Roseworthy
The reconstruction of the Gatehouse on the Waite Campus is important to the University as it maintains a visible connection to the generosity of Peter Waite, and its new location will provide a focal point for the valuable contribution of our volunteer community.
The University is pleased with the relocation of the Gatehouse on the Waite Campus which maintains the heritage connection, along with its contemporary addition that will support the volunteer community and alignment with the teaching and research undertaken on campus.
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport provided regular stakeholder project progress updates to the University and facilitated a number of educational site visits sharing the methodology of the process, which was greatly appreciated.
