The parish complex at Pukekaraka (hill of Karaka trees) is of great significance. It comprises of church, presbytery and adjoining marae. The church was built by the Ngati Kapu people in 1859 and has been designated a class A building by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
With parish numbers up to 300 members the existing 120 seat church had become too small.
DSA designed a new extension which grows out of the original church and links all the buildings on the site to form the new church complex.
The reinstatement of the original bell tower in the old church was also included in the project.
The existing buildings at the Pukekaraka site consisted of the original church which was built in 1859, a presbytery and two meetings houses on an adjoining marae.
The design developed by DSA suceeds in providing a new church linking all buildings while acknowledging the historical aspects of the site.
Before construction began, the site was blessed and a Mauri, consisting of items of special significance to the Pukekaraka parish, was buried to give the new building a spirit or life force.
Three large locally grown Totara trees were prepared by the parish and will feature in the structural frame of the entrance and foyer area of the new building.
The project also included structural upgrading to reinstate of the original bell tower demolished in 1920.
The tower was designed as an exact replica of the original from early photographs provided by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
The project enhances the historic site at Pukekaraka and embraces both Maori and Pakeha values.
