The three-storeyed stone-faced Commercial Building Façade, on the corner of 181 High Street and Tuam Street in central Christchurch, provides a noteworthy streetscape presence as a post-Canterbury Earthquakes (2010-11) survivor from what was previously a prominent 1910 Edwardian building on the site. It was designed by the England Brothers, one of the foremost architectural practices in Christchurch during the early twentieth century. The façade is a tangible reminder of the building’s long and respected history as a city furniture and furnishings store, first as A J White’s and later as McKenzie and Willis. The Commercial Building Façade has aesthetic, architectural historical and social significance or value.
The 1910 building was constructed for A J White’s, one of New Zealand’s longest established furniture manufacturing and retailing firms, as a replacement of and addition to existing buildings owned by the firm on and adjoining the site. At the time of its opening, the building’s large plate-glass windows were recognised as lending themselves to modern methods of display of goods, attracting attention from the public.
When viewed from the street, the Commercial Building Façade retains much the same prominent corner appearance as it did before the quakes. It is three storeys in height, with restrained detailing and generous use of glass. The first and second floors are dominated by large stylised attached columns that rise through the two upper floors. The large window openings have leaded fanlights with an oriel window at the corner. The first floor windows are squared whilst the second floor windows have segmental arches. The façade has a high level of craftsmanship, particularly in the use of a stone veneer, including carved decorative reliefs and decorative leaded windows.
The building was severely damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010-2011. In 2015, the badly damaged rear of the building was completely demolished but the original façade was carefully strengthened and restored. The Commercial Building Façade has been retained as the celebrated front to a whole new retail and hospitality complex behind. The significant financial contribution from business, local and central government demonstrates the efforts made to ensure retention of the façade and the value placed on retaining the historic street front appearance in the context of loss of so many historic buildings in the central city.
General Background Information
Early History of Christchurch
Christchurch and the wider area have a long history of Māori occupation. The vast network of wetlands and plains of Kā Pakihi Whakatekateka o Waitaha (Canterbury Plains) is inherently important to the history of its early occupation. The area was rich in food from the forest and waterways. Major awa (river) such as the Rakahuri (Ashley), Waimakariri, Pūharakekenui (Styx) and Rakaia were supplied from the mountain fed aquifers of Kā Tiritiri o te Moana (Southern Alps). Other spring-fed waterways such as the Ōtakaro (Avon) meandered throughout the landscape. The rivers teamed with tuna, kōkopu, kanakana and inaka; the wetlands were a good supply of wading birds and fibres for weaving, food and medicine; with the forest supplying kererū, kokopa, tui and other fauna as well as building materials. Ara tawhito (travelling routes) crossed over the landscape providing annual and seasonal pathways up and down and across the plains and in some cases skirting or traversing the swamps. Permanent pā sites and temporary kainga were located within and around the Plains as Ngāi Tahu established and used the mahinga kai sites where they gathered and utilised natural resources from the network of springs, waterways, wetlands, grasslands and lowland podocarp forests that abounded along the rivers and estuaries.
Most of the Canterbury region was purchased from Ngāi Tahu by the Crown in 1848. The Canterbury Association oversaw the systematic European settlement of Canterbury and surveyed the town of Christchurch and rural sections outside of the town boundary.
Canterbury Earthquakes 2010-11
The situation with the Canterbury Earthquakes of 2010-11 was summarised by the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission Te Komihana Rūwhenua o Waitaha as follows: ‘On 4 September 2010, at 4:35am, an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 struck Christchurch and the surrounding Canterbury region. The earthquake had an epicentre near Darfield, a small town about 40km west of the Christchurch Central Business District. An aftershock sequence began, which at the time of writing is ongoing. All of the earthquakes were the result of ruptures on faults not known to be active prior to the September event. ….However, many unreinforced masonry buildings were damaged and there was extensive damage to infrastructure. The eastern suburbs of Christchurch and Kaiapoi were seriously affected by liquefaction and lateral spreading of the ground. The September earthquake was followed by four other major earthquakes occurring on Boxing Day 2010, and 22 February, 13 June and 23 December 2011. Of these, the event on 22 February was by far the most serious, resulting in 185 deaths. …’
Severe damage to heritage places caused by the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 has meant unprecedented, rapid loss of items from the New Zealand Heritage List, particularly in Christchurch. Significant historic places have been lost, and many places have been removed from the List.
The Heritage New Zealand response to addressing the high number of formal reviews required in post-quake Canterbury, under Section 78 of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, has been to adopt a shortened review format report and not cover a detailed historical narrative or land history.
The 1910 building was constructed for A J White’s, one of New Zealand’s longest established furniture manufacturing and retailing firms, as a replacement of and addition to existing buildings owned by the firm on and adjoining the site. At the time of its opening, the building’s large plate-glass windows were recognised as lending themselves to modern methods of display of goods, attracting attention from the public.
When viewed from the street, the Commercial Building Façade retains much the same prominent corner appearance as it did before the quakes. It is three storeys in height, with restrained detailing and generous use of glass. The first and second floors are dominated by large stylised attached columns that rise through the two upper floors. The large window openings have leaded fanlights with an oriel window at the corner. The first floor windows are squared whilst the second floor windows have segmental arches. The façade has a high level of craftsmanship, particularly in the use of a stone veneer, including carved decorative reliefs and decorative leaded windows.
The building was severely damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010-2011. In 2015, the badly damaged rear of the building was completely demolished but the original façade was carefully strengthened and restored. The Commercial Building Façade has been retained as the celebrated front to a whole new retail and hospitality complex behind. The significant financial contribution from business, local and central government demonstrates the efforts made to ensure retention of the façade and the value placed on retaining the historic street front appearance in the context of loss of so many historic buildings in the central city.
General Background Information
Early History of Christchurch
Christchurch and the wider area have a long history of Māori occupation. The vast network of wetlands and plains of Kā Pakihi Whakatekateka o Waitaha (Canterbury Plains) is inherently important to the history of its early occupation. The area was rich in food from the forest and waterways. Major awa (river) such as the Rakahuri (Ashley), Waimakariri, Pūharakekenui (Styx) and Rakaia were supplied from the mountain fed aquifers of Kā Tiritiri o te Moana (Southern Alps). Other spring-fed waterways such as the Ōtakaro (Avon) meandered throughout the landscape. The rivers teamed with tuna, kōkopu, kanakana and inaka; the wetlands were a good supply of wading birds and fibres for weaving, food and medicine; with the forest supplying kererū, kokopa, tui and other fauna as well as building materials. Ara tawhito (travelling routes) crossed over the landscape providing annual and seasonal pathways up and down and across the plains and in some cases skirting or traversing the swamps. Permanent pā sites and temporary kainga were located within and around the Plains as Ngāi Tahu established and used the mahinga kai sites where they gathered and utilised natural resources from the network of springs, waterways, wetlands, grasslands and lowland podocarp forests that abounded along the rivers and estuaries.
Most of the Canterbury region was purchased from Ngāi Tahu by the Crown in 1848. The Canterbury Association oversaw the systematic European settlement of Canterbury and surveyed the town of Christchurch and rural sections outside of the town boundary.
Canterbury Earthquakes 2010-11
The situation with the Canterbury Earthquakes of 2010-11 was summarised by the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission Te Komihana Rūwhenua o Waitaha as follows: ‘On 4 September 2010, at 4:35am, an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 struck Christchurch and the surrounding Canterbury region. The earthquake had an epicentre near Darfield, a small town about 40km west of the Christchurch Central Business District. An aftershock sequence began, which at the time of writing is ongoing. All of the earthquakes were the result of ruptures on faults not known to be active prior to the September event. ….However, many unreinforced masonry buildings were damaged and there was extensive damage to infrastructure. The eastern suburbs of Christchurch and Kaiapoi were seriously affected by liquefaction and lateral spreading of the ground. The September earthquake was followed by four other major earthquakes occurring on Boxing Day 2010, and 22 February, 13 June and 23 December 2011. Of these, the event on 22 February was by far the most serious, resulting in 185 deaths. …’
Severe damage to heritage places caused by the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 has meant unprecedented, rapid loss of items from the New Zealand Heritage List, particularly in Christchurch. Significant historic places have been lost, and many places have been removed from the List.
The Heritage New Zealand response to addressing the high number of formal reviews required in post-quake Canterbury, under Section 78 of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, has been to adopt a shortened review format report and not cover a detailed historical narrative or land history.
