94 | BUILDING Henderson Building: Shand House T T Virginia Wright Heritage projects building a legacy Built in 1875, and designed by the notable 19th-century Timaru architect, Thomas Roberts, Shand House became a central hub of Timaru’s Craighead Diocesan School. Originally established by Jeff Henderson in 1985, over the last 40-plus years Henderson Building Ltd in Timaru has developed into a prominent and award-winning residential and commercial construction company with more than one major heritage project to its name. Shane Bray is now the sole owner of the company, having started working with Jeff as a qualified carpenter over 35 years ago. Back in 1994, the company undertook the redevelopment of the original Farmers Department Store, while more recently they refurbished the Timaru District Hospital’s Emergency and Outpatients Departments while the hospital remained operational, and in 2024 they completed the major commercial construction of its new AT & R Building (Assessment, Treatment & Rehabilitation). That year also saw them winning Canterbury Region Supreme House of the Year (under $1M) for a home in Seaview, designed as a sophisticated, urban, future-proofed retirement haven above Caroline Bay, and noted for its complex cliff-side construction. Henderson Building has three people in the office, including Shane, and 12 on-site, including three apprentices. Some of the carpenters have been there over 20 years, one of whom did his apprenticeship with Henderson Building and never left. “We do everything from high-end residential through to medium-sized commercial, and including renovations, alterations and everything in between,” says Shane Their commercial projects are often heritage projects, and Henderson Building is within reach of completing the work on the Category 2 heritage Shand House Strengthening and Restoration Project. Built in 1875, and designed by the notable 19th-century Timaru architect, Thomas Roberts, Shand House became a central hub of Timaru’s Craighead Diocesan School established by the four Shand sisters in 1911. The project draws on Henderson Building’s depth of experience and ability to navigate the complexities of a significant heritage project while the school remained operational. Strong relationships with the client helped ensure the work went smoothly, together with the longstanding relationships they have with subcontractors and suppliers, all happy to do their bit to keep the work on track. “We’ve been on-site for around 20 months doing multiple jobs at the same time, including the Shand House restoration,” Shane says. “Having the school still running meant we’ve had to be smart in the way we’ve gone about it with students and staff on-site. Everybody’s been very flexible and very patient, including the school, who’ve been great to work with.” Shane says that “seamlessly connecting the old with the new is part and parcel of the project”. The work has included restoring the building’s 1870s’ Italianate architectural features, such as the staircase, while at the same time installing a new lift to provide an easy connection with the new wings and ensuring the building meets modern accessibility standards. Other work included restoring (or replacing as closely as possible) the original ceiling roses and character mouldings while integrating all the necessary fire-safety features; stripping plaster off the original triple-brick internal walls to enable the seismic strengthening work before doing the internal refurbishment; removing, cleaning up and replacing the original rimu skirting boards, matching new where needed, and propping up the heritage roof while demolishing and rebuilding the structure beneath, then restoring original stucco/ plaster finish and features on the outside. The detailed, meticulous, technical work , has restored the 150-year-old heritage building, bringing it into the 21st century, while also bringing ‘the heart back into the school’ . Shand House is ready to survive another 150 years, and countless more students, who will enjoy the sense of history captured within its beautifully restored walls. Thewindow For ideas and advice about our exceptional windows and doors, talk to Fairview Timaru ph 03 688 7248 or visit us at 28c Washdyke Flat Road, Timaru. Domestic, Solar, Commercial
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