George Guido Schwartz (1853–1926) was a New Zealand architect. Schwartz was born in Hamburg and studied there and in Stuttgart before practising in various cities around western Germany. Schwartz came to New Zealand to follow his brother but struggled to obtain work and worked as an actuary until 1896, when he started a full-time architectural career that lasted until his death in 1926. Schwartz mostly designed domestic and commercial premises and several of his surviving works are scheduled with the Wellington City Council and Heritage New Zealand.
Early life George Guido Schwartz was born in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg in 1853. Schwartz studied architecture in Hamburg and Stuttgart and in 1871 articled to Theo Necker. With Necker he worked in Hamburg, Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, Saarbrucken, and Stuttgart. New Zealand In 1878 Schwartz came to New Zealand aboard the Lanarkshire. Schwartz' brother had made the voyage earlier and worked as an account and actuary for the Government Life Insurance Company. Schwartz initially worked in Wellington but by 1885 he was working as a draughtsman in Christchurch. Architectural work was hard to come by and Schwartz worked as an actuary for the Government Life Insurance company, he remained with the company until 1896 to return to architecture. Schwartz mainly designed commercial and residential properties in the wider Wellington region. Schwartz designed many homes in the Queen Anne style. Schwartz practised architecture up until his death in 1926.
Schwartz was a founding member of the New Zealand Institute of Architects and served as the first vice-president. In 1912 Schwartz became a Licentiate of the Royal Institute of British Architects, with the support of Alfred Atkins, Roger Bacon, and Frederick de Jersey Clere.
Personal life Schwartz married his wife in 1883 and had two daughters.
Schwartz was an avid musician and played the French horn and was a member of the Wellington Orchestral Society. Schwartz owned a yacht, the Waiwetu, which he used for racing. Schwartz was a Freemason. List of works Name Date Image Note RefUnited Fruit Company Building1887Registered as a category 2 building and as part of the Lambton Quay Historic Area with Heritage New ZealandLazule1896Registered with Heritage New Zealand as part of the Cuba Street Historic Area2–8 Footscray Avenue1896Registered with Heritage New Zealand as the Footscray Avenue Historic Area6 Stafford Street1897Scheduled with the Wellington City Council292 Tinakori Road1897Scheduled with the Wellington City CouncilEmpire Hotel1897Carlton Hotel190011 Brougham Street1900Donisthorpe1906Scheduled with the Wellington City CouncilBarker and Pollock building1920Registered with Heritage New Zealand as part of the Cuba Street Historic AreaTemuka Courthouse1900Attributed to Schwartz by Peter Richardson but most sources consider it a different architect's work. Registered as a category 2 building with Heritage New Zealand References