Architect left mark on work at Mason and Wales

He was a man who left his mark on much of the work created at Mason and Wales over a nearly 50 year tenure. Stephen Loach, who died in January this year, was remembered this week at a function at his second home of 48 years, or The Old Firm as he fondly referred to it. A gathering was held at the architecture firm’s Dunedin office in York Pl on Thursday night for family and friends, along with contractors, consultants, suppliers and others he dealt with, to celebrate his life and work. Hamish Muir, architect director and a third-generation Otago architect, said Mr Loach was a particularly humble man. A very skilled architectural technician, his work was meticulous and he was also very good at mentoring others in the firm, including Mr Muir. “We owe him so much, he’s mentored most of us,” he said. Mr Loach retired about nine years ago and he and his wife Diane spent their retirement at their holiday home at Otematata, after their daughter and son-in-law moved back to Dunedin from Wellington and into the distinctive Loach family home at Maia. Designed by Mr Loach in the 1970s, he was inspired by his childhood growing up in rural East Otago and wanted the house to have a strong architectural style that reflected early New Zealand cottage forms. He lived at historic coastal property Bushey Park, where his parents worked, until he was 15 and the family moved to Dunedin. It was his technical drawing teacher who, recognising his talent, sent a letter to Mason and Wales suggesting the firm employ Mr Loach. He was employed by Neil Wales, the third N Y A Wales, and great-grandson of Nathaniel Young Armstrong Wales who came to Dunedin in 1861. Mr Wales was employed by William Mason - the country’s first professional architect — the following year and later joined Mr Mason in partnership, forming Mason & Wales. Mrs Loach said the firm was great to work for and her husband was very proud to be part of its history. While he was not one for a fuss, she believed he would be very proud that his tenure at the firm was being recognised. He had an “amazing eye” — “he could just look at something and get the shape of it and the scale of it” — and he was “just very good at what he did’’. He also had excellent personal skills. [Missing Credit]Members of the Loach family and some of the Mason & Wales team gather in Dunedin to remember the late Stephen Loach. Photo: Isabella Harrex The function was combined with what Mr Muir described as a “reset” at New Zealand’s oldest architectural firm, which included promotions for senior staff and Mr Muir being sole director and owner. Four new associates were acknowledged, among the team of about 12, and it was a new chapter in the multi-award-winning firm’s history, he said. It moved into its distinctive heritage-scheduled premises in 1973 and, while it had been slightly modernised since then, the original flavour had been retained. Its portfolio included private residential, multi-residential, commercial, heritage and public architecture.

Architect left mark on work at Mason and Wales

Hiss off: Broad Bay goose defends turf from sea lion

Canterbury rugby great, Black Caps paceman pitch in to save pool

Netball needs to ‘modernise’ domestic league, new NNZ boss says

‘I was like a zombie’: ADHD diagnosis helped Christchurch woman beat drug addiction

High school students caught up in Queenstown traffic woes