The derelict 1914 building as it was before Frances Woodhead and Bruce Kemp renovated it.
It took eight concrete trucks to complete the new foundation ground beams and intricate structural concrete shear walls, to earthquake–strengthen the building before the renovation proper could start.
Woodhead restored the missing leadlight windows on the first floor and the shopfront has been completely rebuilt with timber joinery, including an Edwardian style inset door, with support from Heritage New Zealand.
The result is an inviting, light–filled gallery space on street level and an upstairs apartment where the couple live.
Builder Bruce Kemp and glass artist Frances Woodhead have completed the renovation of their heritage building on Marine Parade in Wairoa.
Woodhead was born and raised in England, living in Primrose Hill, London.
“Wairoa has that village feel. It reminds me of Primrose Hill with a local library, where you see the same characters every day and go to the same corner shop,” she said.
She first came to New Zealand as a traveller and spent a year here.
“I always wanted to return and finally emigrated 10 years later.”
Her journey with glass began in 2003 while working for a social enterprise in Liverpool.
“I was employed to develop a glass recycling social enterprise alongside training young people.
“I didn’t know much about glass, so I learned on the job with the trainees. I did that for a couple of years before returning to New Zealand where I got my own kiln.”
She lived in Nelson and established a studio/gallery called Nelson Glasshouse.
In 2009 she moved to Scotland to be with Kemp, packing up her kiln and moving to Tiree where she established Tiree Glass.
“A glass artist has a very close relationship with their kiln,” she said.
Life on Tiree is seasonal, she says. Everything happens in the summer and the winter is a time of retreat and renewal and making for the season ahead.
The winter allows for experimentation and hours on the beaches, whenever there is a break in the wild Hebridean weather.
Loop glass studio and gallery is now open on Marine Parade in Wairoa.
In 2019 they made the big move back to New Zealand and settled in Wairoa.
“We weren’t sure at all but this building kind of clinched it – the east end block is pretty special. It has lots of history.
“It’s a beautiful community. It’s really vibrant, friendly, interesting and supportive. There’s never a dull moment. We’ve just had the Māori Film Festival at the Gaiety Theatre here.”
In addition to the East End café, there is another small gallery and a leatherwork studio in the same block.
“There’s a lot happening in our little zone. It’s really evolving. It has always been the commercial centre of town,” Woodhead says.
The building, which dates back to 1914, is 160sq m on both floors and required substantial earthquake strengthening.
“It was only 15% NBS when we got it, which is earthquake–prone, and it’d been empty for a long time.”
A New Building Standard (NBS) seismic rating is a score given to each critical building element, denoting how vulnerable that building is to earthquake shaking.
A seismic rating of 67% NBS or higher is generally considered the most desirable target for a standard commercial or residential building.
“We got it for a good price but that was just a down payment really in terms of what we had to spend on it.”
Everything had to be fire rated and made compliant. They also had to put in a staircase to connect the upstairs and downstairs.
“But it’s a great model being able to share the rates between a home and workspace.”
With a degree in environmental science, Woodhead is mindful that glass is a highly energy intensive material made from a finite, non–renewable resource.
She aims to be part of a circular economy which limits use of virgin materials, especially precious ones such as finite beach sand.
“Whilst my choice to use only recycled materials is not going to change the world, it has the potential to make life more creative whilst making a contribution to issues like global warming and ocean acidification and more local habitat loss.”
Recycling glass reduces the need to mine and transport sand, sodium carbonate, dolomite and limestone. These raw materials release chemically bound carbon dioxide. Melting glass from virgin materials is an energy intensive process, but reforming existing glass in a kiln is less so, she says.
“Most glass artists use glasses specifically made for the job and each colour is compatible with the other one and you’ve got limitless colours, whereas if you start with waste glass you’ve got limitations – glass compatibility is the main one.”
There is no compromise in the quality of the product that can be created, but due to its technical limitations and its abundance, using waste glass provides a creative force.
After long years of creating for a busy shop and honing her skills in Nelson and Scotland, Woodhead hopes the new studio and slower pace of life in Wairoa will allow new work to spring forth.
She recently took part in the Affordable Art Exhibition in Gisborne, where she sold a range of pieces from large bowls to small glass dishes and ornaments.
The gallery was the last part of the building to be completed and she said it was great to be back creating after a long break.
Comparing it to her Scottish studio, she said Wairoa CBD was much more lively.
“And the weather is tamer.”
Left: Concrete 200mm thick had to be removed before the renovation proper could commence. Right: The completed gallery space displaying the products made from 100% recycled glass.