Fifty years of landmarks

A large Auckland and Wellington architectural practice which specialised in office and health buildings celebrates half a century today.

Stephenson&Turner, originally an Australian practice founded and headed by Sir Arthur Stephenson in Melbourne in the 1920s, opened an office in Boulcott Terrace, Wellington, in the late 1950s.

Its first job was to design Shell House on The Terrace. Opened in 1960, it was the capital's first high-rise office block, the first with air-conditioning and held the record as New Zealand's tallest building for many years.

Stephenson&Turner designed some of Auckland's major buildings including the Starship children's hospital, the PricewaterhouseCoopers tower on Quay St and Auckland International Airport. During the early 1960s, the firm also designed the much-lauded and now demolished Mon Desir Hotel on Takapuna Beach.

The firm has 120 staff in Auckland and Wellington, led by 12 directors and 13 associate directors, including architects and engineers.

It designed the award-winning Ngawha prison in Northland and Wellington's State Insurance Tower (formerly BNZ Tower), BP House, Wool House, the Civic Administration Building for Wellington City Council, the Australian High Commission and Bowen Hospital.

A book on the firm's work has been produced by specialist architectural publisher John Balasoglou of Auckland.