| Kenneth Myers Centre | |
|---|---|
 Kenneth Myers Centre, November 2022 | |
 | |
| Former names | 1YA, TVNZ |
| General information | |
| Type | Broadcasting station |
| Architectural style | Neo-Romanesque |
| Address | 74Shortland Street, Auckland |
| Coordinates | 36°50′48″S174°46′10″E / 36.84674°S 174.76936°E /-36.84674; 174.76936 |
| Completed | 1935 |
| Owner | University of Auckland |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Wade and A. M. Bartley |
| Website | |
| http://www.gusfishergallery.auckland.ac.nz | |
| Designated | 15 February 1990 |
| Reference no. | 660 |
TheKenneth Myers Centre, also known by its original name1YA Building, is a historicNeo-Romanesque building onShortland Street, Auckland, New Zealand. Designed byWade and Bartley and built between 1934 and 1935 for the 1YA radio station it later saw use as a television station from 1960 to 1989. Since 2000 it has been owned by theUniversity of Auckland who use the building for performing arts and as a gallery. The building is registered as acategory 1 building with Heritage New Zealand.
1YA was the first licensed operator under the 1923 Radio Regulations Act. Due to constant changes in radio technology 1YA operated out of several locations around the City of Auckland before settling into theShortland Street location; the technological improvements to radio led to the decision to build a purpose built facility at Shortland Street.[1] ArchitectsNorman Wade and Alva Bartley designed the purpose built structure, which started construction 1934 and finished in 1935.[2]
Starting in 1959 the building was modified to serve as a television broadcaster, the building hosted the AKTV2 television station and was in June 1960 hosted the first news broadcast ofTelevision New Zealand. 1YA vacated the premise in 1961 and Television New Zealand continued to use the facility until vacating it in 1989.[1][2]
In 2000Douglas Myers fundraised for the purchase of the building and gifted the building to theUniversity of Auckland. The university performed a major renovation so the building could be used as a performing arts centre and gallery and named it theKenneth Myers Centre after Douglas Myers' father.[3][2][1] The gallery was funded byGus Fisher, who is the namesake of thegallery.As of 2025 restoration work is being undertaken on the building.[2]
The 1YA Building is constructed from brick and concrete and has 22 in (560 mm) thick walls and a lack of windows to improve acoustic quality of the facility and to comply with regulations for broadcasting buildings.[1][2][4] Despite the neo-Romanesquefaçade the interior isArt Deco.[1] Located on a ridge that overlooks theAuckland CBD,[1] the building has a single storey façade on Shortland Street, but extends for another three levels down the hill to Fort Street at the back.[4] Atop the building is a steel transmission tower.[1] The building has a unique appearance, in part due to the steep location and lack of standards for radio buildings. Thepinnacles have aziggurat shape. The façade featuresarcading and a Romanesque moulded doorway. The foyer has a coloured glass dome surrounded by ornate plastering. The interior features plasterpilasters andcorbels.[1]
The 1YA Building is associated with both the advent of state radio and state television and the building, along with its transmission tower, is a landmark of the Auckland city centre. The building's non-modern design contrasts and stands out from theChicago style architecture of the surrounding buildings.[1]
The television showShortland Street got its name from the initial production nameThe Shortland Street Project; initially the show was planned to be filmed in the 1YA Building but the location did not provide enough space for the set and filming was moved elsewhere.[4] which was originally planned to be filmed in the building.[5]
Media related toKenneth Myers Centre at Wikimedia Commons