List of tallest buildings in Wellington explained

This list of tallest buildings in Wellington ranks the tallest building's in the New Zealand capital city of Wellington by height. This ranking system, created by the US-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat includes the height to a spire but not to an antenna.[1] The Majestic Centre is the tallest skyscraper in the city at .

Tallest buildings

The list below contains the top 60 buildings in the city at 500NaN0 high and above. All are High-rises except for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd ranked buildings which are skyscrapers.

NameHeight[2] FloorsBuiltPurposeNotes
1Majestic Centre1160NaN0291991Office
2Aon Centre (Wellington)1030NaN0271984OfficeOriginally opened as the BNZ Centre
3HSBC Tower1010NaN0252003OfficeIs 94M to roof height and 101M to the Spire[3]
4NTT Tower930NaN0251998OfficeFormerly Mobil on the Park, Vodafone on the Park and Dimension Data Tower[4]
5Bowen House900NaN0221991Office
6James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor 880NaN0261972/1998Hotel
7Plimmer Towers840NaN0251975Hotel/OfficeOriginally opened as the Williams Centre
8125 The Terrace770NaN0211986Office
9Morrison Kent House760NaN0211969Office[5]
10=113 The Terrace[6] 720NaN0191988OfficeFormerly PricewaterhouseCoopers Tower; currently the home of Wellington City Council[7]
10=The Beehive720NaN0101981Office
12=111 Dixon Street[8] 70m (230feet)202019ResidentialTallest residential building in Wellington.
12=Maritime Tower700NaN0182006Office
12=Grant Thornton House700NaN0181983OfficeFormerly known as ANZ Tower
12=Westpac Tower700NaN0181978Office
12=Chews Lane Tower700NaN0192009Office/Residential
17=Aurora Centre[9] 68m (223feet)191968OfficeWas the tallest building in Wellington when completed. Underwent a major facelift in 2016-17
17=Equinox House[10] 68m (223feet)align=center 16align=center 1987align=center Office
17=Radio New Zealand House68m (223feet)align=center 13align=center 1963align=center Office[11]
20=Fujitsu Tower660NaN0181985OfficeFormerly known as Caltex Tower[12]
20=Novell House660NaN0171975Office
20=No.1 The Terrace660NaN0171978OfficeHeadquarters of the New Zealand Treasury
20=Vogel Building660NaN0171966OfficeWas the tallest building in Wellington and the 2nd tallest building in New Zealand when built[13]
20=Reserve Bank of New Zealand[14] 66m (217feet)align=center 16align=center 1972align=center Office[15]
25=AXA Tower650NaN0171989Office
25=The Freyberg Building[16] 65m (213feet)align=center 15align=center 1979align=center OfficeThe adjoining 7-storey Freyberg House (2007) was demolished after the 2016 earthquake.[17]
27One Whitmore Street[18] [19] [20] 630NaN0142023CommercialBNZ's Wellington office.
2820 Customhouse Quay[21] 620NaN0142018CommercialReplaced BP House, which was originally built in 1968 and demolished following the 2013 Seddon earthquake.[22]
29Charles Fergusson Building610NaN0171976Office
30New Zealand Police National Headquarters60.470NaN0171979Office[23] Formerly FAI Insurance House.
31=Bolton Hotel600NaN0202004Hotel
31=Sovereign Insurance Centre600NaN0171984Office
31=Bayleys Building600NaN0161989Office
31=Two Hunter Street600NaN0161991Office
31=City Tower600NaN0161991Office
31=Jellioce Towers600NaN0align=center 16align=center 1965align=center ResidentialWas the tallest Residential building in Wellington when built[24]
31=Forsyth Barr House600NaN0161989Office
31=Pastoral House600NaN0151978Office
39=Rydges Hotel570NaN0162006HotelOriginally opened as a Holiday Inn
39=Alcatel Lucent House570NaN0151988OfficeFormerly Telecom House
41=Quest on Johnston550NaN0182000Hotel
41=Terrace Heights Apartments[25] 550NaN0171999Residential
41=Stafford House550NaN0141977ResidentialOriginally an office, now university housing.
41=Avalon Studios550NaN0111969OfficeTallest building in Wellington outside of the CBD
45Sir Robert Jones Toweralign=center 520NaN0align=center 14align=center 2019 align=center Office[26]
46National War Memorial510NaN01932Bell and clock tower
47=20 Oriental Parade500NaN016Residential
47=Mercer Tower500NaN0151989Office
47=Public Trust Building500NaN0151982Office
47=Investment House500NaN0151977Office
47=Simpl House500NaN0151987Office
47=Willeston Centre[27] 500NaN0141984?OfficeOriginally the Colonial Mutual Life Insurance Building.[28]
47=AMI Plaza[29] 500NaN014Office
47=Rutherford House500NaN0141975OfficeOriginally the headquarters of the NZ Electricity Department.[30]
47=Sovereign House500NaN0141988Office
47=Castrol House500NaN0141987Office
47=Westpac Trust Investment House500NaN0141982Office
47=Technology One House500NaN0131987OfficeFormerly known as the Renouf Centre and Terenco Finance House
47=BNZ Trust House500NaN0131985Office
47=Guardian Trust House500NaN0131984Office
47=Optimation House500NaN0align=center 121979Office[31]
47=Pinnacle on Victoria[32] 500NaN0172021Residential

Under construction, approved or proposed

NameHeightFloorsBuiltPurposeNotes
1109 Featherston Street Tower[33] 890NaN019CommercialApproved resource consent
2110 Wakefield Street Tower860NaN022CommercialApproved resource consent
3151 Willis St concept tower[34] 1340NaN032Mixed-use

Demolished

NameHeightFloorsBuiltPurposeNotes
Revera House500NaN0101990[35] OfficeFormerly AT&T Tower and Hitachi House. Demolished 2018[36] following damage due to the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake.[37]
61 Molesworth St370NaN0101965OfficeFormerly ICI House. Demolished 2016-2017[38] [39] following damage due to the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake. To be replaced with a new 11/12-storey office building.[40] [41]

Cancelled

NameHeight*Floors*Notes
NZ12630NaN063A high rise commercial and mixed use building proposed for Lambton Quay. Project was scrapped after the developer went bankrupt. If completed, the building would have been New Zealand's tallest.[42] [43]
Lambton Towernowrap≈120m (390feet)31Proposed in 1991 for the Wellington Waterfront.[44]

History of the Tallest buildings in Wellington

NameHeightYears TallestOther Facts
MLC Building45m (148feet)1939-19619 stories high. Was arguably the tallest in NZ when built
Shell House46 m (151 ft)1961-1966Tallest office building in NZ when built.[45]
Vogel Building66m (217feet)1966-1968Was the 2nd tallest in NZ when built
Aurora Centre68m (223feet)1968-1969Was the 2nd tallest in NZ when built
Morrison Kent House76m (249feet)1969-1975Was the 2nd tallest in NZ (to 1 Queen Street, Auckland) when built
Plimmer Towers85m (279feet)1975-1984Was the tallest in NZ when built, is 106m and 31 floors from the Lambton Quay side of the tower
AON Centre103m (338feet)1984-1991Was the tallest in NZ when built and is one of Wellington's most iconic buildings
Majestic Centre116m (381feet)1991–PresentIs the furthest South Skyscraper in the world. Was the tallest in New Zealand when built until the ANZ building opened in Auckland a few months later.

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://www.ctbuh.org/TallBuildings/HeightStatistics/Criteria/tabid/446/language/en-US/Default.aspx CTBUH Height Criteria
  2. Web site: Buildings of Wellington. https://archive.today/20130409033717/http://www.emporis.com/statistics/tallest-buildings-wellington-newzealand. usurped. 9 April 2013. 7 March 2013.
  3. Web site: Google Earth. 2021-08-09. earth.google.com.
  4. Web site: Google Earth. 2021-08-09. earth.google.com.
  5. Web site: Morrison Kent House – Emporis. https://web.archive.org/web/20190902232636/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/232378/morrison-kent-house-wellington-new-zealand. 2 September 2019. usurped.
  6. Web site: 113 The Terrace for Wellington City Council refurbishment & fitout . Workspace Architects .
  7. Web site: Emporis- PWC Tower. https://web.archive.org/web/20190902232633/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/120199/pricewaterhousecoopers-tower-wellington-new-zealand. 2 September 2019. usurped.
  8. Web site: 111 Dixon Street- Emporis.
  9. Web site: Emporis- Aurora Centre.
  10. Web site: Equinox House- Emporis. https://web.archive.org/web/20210907094519/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/236502/equinox-house-wellington-new-zealand. 7 September 2021. usurped.
  11. Web site: Emprois- Radio New Zealand House. https://web.archive.org/web/20211206203437/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/286270/radio-new-zealand-house-wellington-new-zealand. 6 December 2021. usurped.
  12. Web site: View of The Terrace, Wellington, from Talavera Terrace - Photograph taken by Ray Pigney . Ray Pigney . 1988-12-10 . National Library of NZ .
  13. Web site: Emporis- Vogel Building. https://web.archive.org/web/20190902232700/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/234217/vogel-building-wellington-new-zealand. 2 September 2019. usurped.
  14. Web site: Reserve Bank building . Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
  15. Web site: Emporis- Reserve Bank of New Zealand. https://web.archive.org/web/20210913005506/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/286355/reserve-bank-of-new-zealand-wellington-new-zealand. 13 September 2021. usurped.
  16. Web site: Freyberg Building . Precinct Properties .
  17. Web site: Why did modern Wellington buildings fail in Kaikoura quake? . 2016-11-18 . .
  18. Web site: One Whitmore Street.
  19. Web site: Wellington skyline gets a facelift as BNZ’s new building in the central city officially opens . 2024-06-20 . BNZ .
  20. Web site: Base-isolated and Green star building to be developed for the BNZ HQ in Wellington. Marta Steeman. 2019-12-12. Stuff.co.nz.
  21. http://20cq.nz 20 Customhouse Quay – Official site
  22. News: Schouten . Hank . $80m hi-tech tower to replace Wellington's BP House . 13 January 2020 . . 28 March 2015.
  23. Web site: New Zealand Police Headquarters. https://web.archive.org/web/20181004190032/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/1287571/new-zealand-police-wellington-new-zealand. usurped. 4 October 2018. Emporis.
  24. Web site: Jellioce Towers. https://web.archive.org/web/20211206203435/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/232376/jellicoe-towers-wellington-new-zealand. 6 December 2021. usurped.
  25. Web site: 163 The Terrace, Wellington . https://web.archive.org/web/20221224063709/https://www.propertyvalue.co.nz/wellington/wellington-city/wellington-central-6011/terrace-heights-apartments-8c-163-the-terrace-wellington-central-wellington-6011-7649997 . dead . 2022-12-24 . Property Values NZ.
  26. Web site: Emporis- Sir Robert Jones Tower. https://web.archive.org/web/20211209194931/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/1592374/sir-robert-jones-tower-wellington-new-zealand. 9 December 2021. usurped.
  27. http://www.thewellingtoncompany.co.nz/projects/case-studies/willeston-centre/ The Wellington Company – Willeston Centre
  28. News: Top floor with waterfront views for sale in central Wellington. Julie Iles. 2017-06-06. Stuff.co.nz.
  29. Web site: AMI Plaza, Wellington . https://web.archive.org/web/20211030072638/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/232304/ami-plaza-wellington-new-zealand . usurped . 2021-10-30 . Emporis .
  30. https://www.friendsoftepapa.org.nz/event/rutherford-house-art-collection/ Friends of Te Papa – Rutherford House Art Collection
  31. Web site: Emporis- Optimation House. https://web.archive.org/web/20211206203432/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/236500/optimation-house-wellington-new-zealand. 6 December 2021. usurped.
  32. Web site: Pinnacle City Residence . Stratum Management .
  33. Web site: 109 Featherston . Athfield Architects .
  34. Web site: Wellington project. https://web.archive.org/web/20201021181945/https://www.wingatearchitects.com/projects/wellington-project. dead. 2020-10-21. Wingate Architects. 2021-09-20. Wingate Architects.
  35. Web site: AT&T Tower Emporis. https://web.archive.org/web/20211209195258/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/237534/at-t-tower-wellington-new-zealand. 9 December 2021. usurped.
  36. Web site: Revera House in Wellington to be demolished, says spokesman. . en. 2019-09-16.
  37. News: Revera House slated for destruction. 2017-04-03. .
  38. News: Demolition work of earthquake-damaged 61 Molesworth St building in Wellington to begin today . Melissa Nightingale . 2016-11-24 . .
  39. News: New chapter for 61 Molesworth St as demolished building handed back to owner. John Weekes. 2017-02-02. . en.
  40. Web site: 61 Molesworth Street . Precinct Properties .
  41. Web site: 61 Molesworth Street . Jasmax Architects .
  42. News: Lambton Quay NZ1 Tallest Building Design Proposal. Architecture Design NZ.
  43. News: Terry Serepisos companies owe millions, despite sale of all available assets. Chloe Winter. Stuff News NZ. 2016-03-07.
  44. News: Wellington's waterfront – 20 years in the making (Picture 6 of 13). Kate Chapman. Dominion Post. 2015-07-13.
  45. Web site: Shell House (Former). 15 October 2021. Wellington City Council – Wellington City Heritage.

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