Surrey S. Alleman

Surrey Sebastian Alleman (31 August 1901 – 17 April 1978) was a New Zealand architect based in Auckland, noted for designing the Hampton Court Flats in central Auckland and the Garden Court Flats on Tamaki Drive in Mission Bay.

Early life

Surrey S. Alleman was born in Kaponga, Taranaki, on 31 August 1901 and attended New Plymouth Boys' High School.[1][2] He studied architecture at Auckland University College in the mid-1920s,[3] passing exams for membership of the New Zealand Institute of Architects in December 1926 and associateship the following year.[4][5] He set up in sole practice in 1928, then later worked in various partnerships.[6]

Ye Old Pirate Shippe

One of Alleman's early projects was 'Ye Olde Pirate Shippe', an entertainment venue in Milford, Auckland which opened in December 1928. Alleman designed the building in the shape of a pirate ship, and with some partners set up a company called 'Milford Amusements Ltd' to fund the project.[7][8] The building had two dance floors suspended on rubber for resilience, a dining area and an outdoor supper area on the poop deck. It opened with a private party on 21 December 1928.[9] Some residents were opposed to the ship, saying it would "lower the moral tone of Milford", so the Takapuna Borough Council ordered that dancing in bathing costumes and dancing on Sundays would be prohibited.[10] The venue was demolished in 1957.[6] In 2017 a new playground was developed at the beach. In response to the wishes of residents who wanted to remember Ye Olde Pirate Shippe, the playground features a ship coming out of the sand.[11][12]

Hampton Court Flats
Main article: Hampton Court Flats

Alleman was awarded the NZIA Gold Medal for 1930 for his design for the Hampton Court Flats in Auckland - he was 29 years old at the time.[13][14]

Garden Court Flats
Garden Court flats on Tamaki Drive, Mission Bay

Another housing block designed by Alleman was the Garden Court Flats on Tamaki Drive in Mission Bay, completed in 1936. There were 20 self-contained one- and two-bedroom flats and eight garages in the block.[15] The flats featured numerous modern conveniences including disappearing cutting and ironing boards, refrigerators, and bathrooms with large built-in baths, pedestal basins and medicine cabinets. The lounge and dining room could be combined into one large area for entertaining. Each flat had sea views towards Rangitoto and good sun.[16][6][17]

Other work

Other buildings designed by Alleman include the Otahuhu Civic Centre (1946),[18] Tappenden Motors on Stanley St in Parnell (1955), Kawerau Bus and Taxi Station (1957), Helena Rubenstein factory in Onehunga (1959), Taupo Police Station (1962)[19] and Northcote and West Tamaki Post Offices (1965).[20][15] He also designed private residences, including a large Spanish Mission-style homestead on Puketutu Island (1930),[21] and his own Arts and Crafts-style home at 20 Ridings Road, Remuera, in the late 1920s. This two-storey house has a brick base, cedar weatherboards and tiled roof. Its features include panelled wood walls and three different patterns of lead lights.[20]

Personal life

Alleman married Nancy Biss in 1929.[22] He retired in 1967 and died on 17 April 1978.[1][6]

References
  1. "Collection: Surrey S. Alleman architectural drawings". University of Auckland Library. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  2. "Royal Life-Saving Society". Taranaki Herald. 12 April 1917. Retrieved 21 November 2022 – via Paperspast.
  3. "Personal". Taranaki Daily News. 26 February 1923. Retrieved 21 November 2022 – via Paperspast.
  4. "Examination results". The Press. 24 December 1926. Retrieved 21 November 2022 – via Paperspast.
  5. "New Zealand University". Otago Daily Times. 3 January 1928. Retrieved 21 November 2022 – via Paperspast.
  6. "A mystery building, a pirate ship and other architectural treasures". www.news.library.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  7. "Pirate ship coming". Sun (Auckland). 3 October 1928. Retrieved 22 November 2022 – via Paperspast.
  8. "Company Affairs". Auckland Star. 22 October 1928. Retrieved 22 November 2022 – via Paperspast.
  9. "The ship was cheered: Milford's pirates weigh anchor". Sun (Auckland). 22 December 1928. Retrieved 22 November 2022 – via Paperspast.
  10. "The "Pirate Ship" given license by Milford Council". Star (Christchurch). 20 December 1928. Retrieved 22 November 2022 – via Paperspast.
  11. "Back to the future at Milford Reserve Playground". OurAuckland. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  12. "A nod to history in a new North Shore playground". Landscape Architecture Aotearoa. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  13. "Architecture prize". Auckland Star. 17 February 1931 – via Paperspast.
  14. "Hampton Court". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  15. Truttman, Lisa J (20 July 2006). "Heritage: Garden Court Flats, 105 Tamaki Drive, Mission Bay". Archived from the original on 16 October 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  16. "Garden Court - Mission Bay". Building Today. 1 (2). January 1937 – via New Zealand Electronic Text Collection.
  17. "Magnificent block of modern flats now completed on Mission Bay waterfront [Advertisement]". Auckland Star. 26 September 1936. pp. 14–15. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via Paperspast.
  18. "Civic block: Otahuhu scheme". Te Awamutu Courier. 15 April 1946. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via Paperspast.
  19. Matthews and Matthews Architects Ltd (27 March 2009). Central Taupo Heritage Assessment (PDF). Taupo, New Zealand: Taupo District Council. p. 13.
  20. Loudon, Jane (13 November 2010). "Setting the standard in Remuera". NZ Herald. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  21. Mill, Frank Douglas (1 January 1931). "Aerial view of Puketutu Island, ca 1931". DigitalNZ. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  22. "In town and out". Sun (Auckland). 21 March 1929. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
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