The former Arts Building, now known as the Clocktower stands as a distinctive and beloved Auckland landmark. Since its design and construction in 1923 by Roy Alstan Lippincott and his partner Edward Billson, the Clocktower has remained the heart of the university campus. Salmond Reed was tasked with designing a new accessible entrance.
The cast iron structure is 35 feet (11.5 metres) in height and was manufactured by Chas. Judd Ltd. Iron Foundry and Engineers in Thames. The lens is a rare example of a first order Fresnell lens, and the prisms were made in The Chance Brothers Glassworks, Birmingham.
Maintaining the lighthouse in good condition is a constant challenge due to difficulties with access and the extremely exposed location. The lighthouse keeper’s cottage (now utilised as a tramping hut) was repaired and repainted in 2023, and the lighthouse exterior was repainted in 2024 and over the next few years the aim is to repair and conserve the interior of the lighthouse, including the lantern under the guidance of Salmond Reed Architects.
