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The First Church of Christ Scientist — Napier

Architects : Natusch & Sons Napier

Site: A typical City Lot 30ft. wide, with a right of way on one side with street front facing North.

Problem: To arrive at a solution which would cost under £5,000 (Building Control Maximum) and at the same time provide a permanent building which would satisfy the needs of the church.

Construction: Reinforced concrete pier and beam and panel construction with plaster finish on exterior and ½ in. pinex insulation board for interior wall and ceiling finishes, except to foyer and aisle wall which are lined with Heart Rimu plywood. The pinex sheathing is placed in the boxing with V-joints covered with paper tape on the inside to prevent seepage into the V¹s. When the boxing is stripped, all that is necessary to complete the wall finish is stopping up of tie wire holes and painting as required. It does require extra care on the part of the tradesman in placing the boxing and stripping, but considerable saving is made as no plastering is required.

Parapets were reduced to a 6in. upturn so that the fabric roof is carried right over and finished with red tile cap.

Colour: Exterior snowcrete plaster finish with thin red line round top formed with tiles. Recess panel in street front is dove grey with deep green on panel under windows returning to entrance doors which are faced with birdseye maple. The interior is mainly grey walls with ivory ceilings, deep red floor, deep green columns, rich Rimu plywood clear finished with red lettering on the grey walls.

Lettering: On the green panel in front is in white perspex set in almost flush with the green plaster wall and at night is lit from behind to form a quiet welcoming sign.

Result: A remarkably economical building which with its clere-storey windows gives perfect daylighting. Night lighting for the Hall is ideal with a combination of fluorescent strip on ceiling obscured from view with aluminium vanes, and incandescent bracket lights with green porcelain shades which add colour. The result is particularly restful with good light for reading. Acoustics are excellent, no doubt largely due to the walls and ceilings being sheathed in pinex soft board which also has materially added to the insulation against heat and cold.

Contractor: G. Diack, Napier.

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