Threads of Time

New Zealand’s built environment holds invaluable stories that contribute to our nation’s history. However, as time has passed and communities have evolved, these tangible structures and the stories within have been demolished. Their memory reduced to a sign lining the forecourt where the structure once stood. The Dunedin Stock Exchange Building, constructed in 1869 and demolished in 1969, was a key landmark on Princes Street, established during the city’s development from the Gold Rush era. Throughout the century, it housed three occupations: the first University of New Zealand, the head office of The Colonial Bank, and The Stock Exchange. Now, over 50 years after its demolition, the building has been replaced, and the memory has been lost. Using this building as an example, the thesis argues how the floorplans of the three occupancies can uncover the intangible stories, preserving the building’s cultural essence and re-engaging the community with its lost history. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Gaston Bachelard, Marco Frascari, and Robin Evans, the research investigates how the ‘ghosts’ of the building, interpreted from the floorplans, conjure glimpses of the lost space, evoking memories and access to the reverie. Finally, the study explores how these interpreted glimpses of design interventions can be reintroduced into the modern streetscape, capturing the memory and fostering a renewed sense of cultural continuity. This thesis challenges conventional approaches to architectural heritage preservation, proposing imaginative and sensory-driven strategies to re-establish a connection to our lost architecture.