About Us

Ian Bowman, principal of his own firm formed in 1992, is an historian, architect and architectural conservator who specialises in all aspects of built heritage conservation. His qualifications comprise a BA in History and Economic History from Victoria University, a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Auckland, a Master of Arts in Conservation Studies from the University of York, and ICCROM certificate courses in conservation of stone and earthen architecture completed in Europe. He has also completed an Association of Preservation Technology Course (APT) in Banff, Canada in the conservation of timber buildings and Plymouth University/ICCROM course on cob building conservation in Devon, England.

EXPERIENCE

General

He has 20 years combined architectural and conservation experience in England for Newman Levinson and Ptrs., in Australia for the Public Works Dept., and in New Zealand for Works Consultancy and his own practice.

Larger scale projects (over $10 million)

Building projects include the St James Theatre, Wellington, the Regent Theatre, Palmerston North, Maritime Museum, Wellington, Government Buildings, Dominion Museum (now Massey University), Dunedin Lawcourts and the Auckland and Wellington Town Halls. Local authority work includes heritage audits, design guidelines and district plan heritage provisions for a number of Councils. He also provided conservation advice to the New South Wales Public Works Department in Newcastle after the 1990 earthquake.

Smaller scale projects (under $1 million)

Ian has been involved with a large range of smaller scale projects for Culture and Heritage, the Department of Conservation, Government House and the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Non-government clients include the New Zealand Rail Heritage Trust, Lambton Harbour Management Limited, Wellington Regional Council, Christchurch and City Councils, Palmerston North City Council, churches, the British High Commission and the Karori Sanctuary Trust. Recent projects include:

Government House maintenance plan;

Antrim House conservation and maintenance plan;

DoC structures including huts, houses, ruins, water mills and gold stamper batteries from Kawau Island to Auckland Islands;

Battle Hill homestead repairs, cottage additions, shearing shed additions, new operations building;

Karori Wildlife Sanctuary repairs to the boat shed and valve tower, new toilets and operations building;

Shed 11 repairs and repainting;

Repairs and restoration of Chokebore Lodge, Christchurch

Maintenance plan and remedial repairs to the Sexton's Cottage, Bolton Street, Wellington

Conservation plan and repairs to the Winding House Museum, Kelburn

Churches

Ian has completed over 40 church projects including the restoration of St Mary's, Otaki, restoration of St Augustine's, Petone, restoration and additions to St Peter's, Wanganui, the restoration of the Timaru Basilica, and the restoration of Christ Church, Taita after a devastating fire. Current projects include restoration of St James, Lower Hutt, Nelson Anglican Cathedral, St Alban's, Pauatahanui, St Michael's and All Angels, Porangahau, and St Peter's, Waipawa, Chirst Church, Pukehou, modifications to St Marks, Wellington and a new parish centre and hall for All Saints, Hataitai.

Stone projects

Ian has specialised in the conservation of stone buildings. Stone conservation projects completed include the conservation of the Former National Museum, project cost $20 million, Timaru Basilica, project cost $750,000, the Auckland Town Hall, project cost $34 million, and the restoration of Olveston, project cost $100,000.

Conservation projects of structures in marble, granite, rhyolite, and greywacke include the National War Memorial and Carillon, project cost $750,000 , the 1833 Whitianga Stone Wharf, project cost $50,000, the Seddon Memorial, Wellington, project cost $45,000, Cargill's Monument, Dunedin, project cost $50,000, the Massey Memorial, Wellington, project cost $80,000, Te Kahu Oterangi whaling ruins, project cost $25,000.

Advice on other stone conservation projects includes the Kerikeri Stone Store, Dunedin Railway Station, Wellington Basilica, Christchurch Basilica, Lyttelton Ripapa Island , Isel House, Nelson, and the sandstone smelting ruins on Kawau Island. Many other sandstone buildings were advised on in Newcastle, Australia, while the conservation of Cargill's monument in Dunedin involved the importing of the original Tasmanian sandstone for repairs. He designed the marble Ataturk Memorial, Taraki Bay, Wellington.

AWARDS

The Dominion Museum/Massey University, East Takaka Community Hall, St James Theatre, Palmerston North Dairy Factory, Auckland Town Hall and Wellington Town Hall conservation projects gained NZIA Architectural awards while the St James Theatre project gained an NZIA Architectural Award and an ACENZ award and the Regent Theatre project gained a NZIOB award.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

He is a part time senior lecturer at Victoria University Architecture School and has lectured widely in New Zealand on conservation. He has written many publications in professional magazines and newspapers, and has completed several technical bulletins for the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.

Ian is an elected member of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on the Conservation of Earth Buildings, is a founding member of the New Zealand National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and is corresponding member for the ICOMOS International Stone Conservation Committee. He is a member of the New Zealand Professional Conservator's Group.

PRACTICE SIZE

Ian Bowman is a sole practitioner who regularly collaborates with Hugh Tennent Architects and Hoskins Architects. Where projects require, a project team of four registered architects and one architectural graduate can be formed. The collaboration has CAD capabilities of Autocad and Vectorworks.