For more than 140 years the Urrbrae Gatehouse stood sentinel over the Cross Rd/Fullarton Rd intersection in Adelaide’s inner south-east.

Built by Peter Waite around 1883 as part of the Urrbrae House estate, the building was a well-known landmark in the area.

But the announcement of a $61 million upgrade of the intersection meant that the structure could no longer stay in its original location, and a concerted community campaign showed that there was a lot of love for the historic building.

Architects and building consultants were engaged and what might well be South Australia’s biggest-ever jigsaw puzzle project – which saw the gatehouse meticulously deconstructed, labelled, cleaned and relocated – began.

Work on the reconstruction of the historic Urrbrae Gatehouse in its new location is now complete, as the building prepares to serve the community for generations to come.

The rebuilt gatehouse includes an interior restoration and modern extension, designed by Dash Architects, which has protected the gatehouse’s historic value and ensured the building can be used well into the future.

The specialised process of dismantling and rebuilding the gatehouse – which is now located on Claremont Ave at the University of Adelaide’s Waite Campus – was carried out by G-Force Building and Consulting.

This involved accurately recording key parts of the building, carefully cleaning and labelling parts, and storing them safely.

The new layout was set out to ensure it matches the footprint of the original gatehouse by referring to 3D scans, drawings and photographs taken during the decommissioning of the building.

Heritage-listed elements were reconstructed piece by piece, coupled with modern yet complementary construction techniques. New stonework was also carved by hand to replicate elements that had previously been poorly conserved.

G-Force Building and Consulting director Paul Glassenbury said dismantling a 140-year-old bluestone building and cataloguing every stone, preserving every piece including windows, doors, glazing and bricks, had been "an amazing and unique challenge".

"This truly has been a wonderful team approach with all stakeholders in a terrific example of collaboration, trust and respect," Mr Glassenbury said.

"We are passionate about conserving our state’s heritage assets and to be able to relocate such an iconic building has been both an honour and an unbelievable challenge."

Waite and Roseworthy campus manager Mark Branson said that the reconstruction of the gatehouse on the Waite Campus was important to the university as it maintained a visible connection to the generosity of Peter Waite, and its new location would provide a focal point for the valuable contribution of the campus's volunteer community.

"The university is pleased with the relocation of the gatehouse on the Waite Campus which maintains the heritage connection, along with its contemporary addition that will support the volunteer community and alignment with the teaching and research undertaken on campus," Mr Branson said.

Ownership of the building will now be handed over to the University of Adelaide, which will use the space to support staff and volunteers who contribute to the Waite Campus, Urrbrae House and the Waite Arboretum.