New lease on life for historic gatehouse

Thursday, 18 July 2024

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.