Kaurna
South Australia
The Gilles Arms Hotel first opened in 1854, was rebuilt in 1885 and traded until Christmas 1975. Â The building is now owned by Pulteney Grammar School.
Prior to the works the exterior balcony was structurally unsound and the cellar adjoining the pavement was damp from rising ground water.
The main objectives of the project were to reveal, retain, conserve and repair the former hotel façade and ensure the long term sustainable life of the building by drying out the cellar and ground floor interiors that had been damaged by damp. The project works to the front facade included the careful reinstatement of the balcony.Â
Now that the balcony is structurally safe and code compliant, the facade has been rejuvenated and the formally damp interior can be refitted, the renaissance of this small part of Gilles Street is underway to the benefit of the client and users, and the general public.Â
From a client’s perspective, the recently completed renovation of the Gilles Arms balcony has been a very rewarding outcome. The restored balcony detail and finishes carefully respect the story of the building and lifts the local streetscape, returning some of the character of the area that had been diminished over time.
The Gilles Arms building now sits proudly within the school campus, complementing neighbouring buildings and reinforcing the sense of heritage and continuity. Overall, the project has balanced preservation and renewal very well, and we are very pleased with the result.