The three storeyed brick building at 1-7/204 St Asaph Street in central Christchurch was constructed in 1903-4 for P. & D. Duncan Limited, one of New Zealand’s leading early foundries and engineering works, and has historical and social significance as a rare reminder of the heavy industry formerly in this area of the city. It has architectural and aesthetic significance as an industrial building designed by the early twentieth century Christchurch architectural practice of Clarkson and Ballantyne, and is one of a small number of Edwardian industrial buildings remaining in the central city.

Scottish brothers Peter and David Duncan were pioneer ironmasters who formed the firm that became P. & D. Duncan Limited, specialist manufacturers of agricultural machinery (the South British Agricultural Implement Works). Their trade training had been in smithery and fitting. Peter emigrated to New Zealand in 1863 and he initially joined in partnership with Benjamin Cordery, a Lyttelton blacksmith. In 1865 he set up business with Alex Scrimgeour, and the following year they set up a small establishment in Cashel Street, Christchurch, but this burned down in 1869. Peter’s older brother, David, had arrived in New Zealand in 1867 and the pair worked together, joining in partnership in 1870. In 1876 P. & D. Duncan shifted to larger premises in Tuam Street, where they built a new wheelwrights and blacksmith shop with eight forges for 40 employees. David died in 1897 and Peter retired through ill health in 1901 (he died in 1907). Their business was carried on by several of their sons and Peter’s brother-in-law, James Keir. The firm produced farm implements and road-making machinery, notably ploughs and drills. The present three storey building, designed by Clarkson and Ballantyne, was part of a wider site redevelopment in 1903-4 by P. & D. Duncan Limited. The firm operated over a large area on both Tuam and St Asaph Streets. The St Asaph Street building was an ‘up-to-date foundry … complete with commodious pattern shop, extensive pattern store, fettling shop, store for castings, motor room and all necessary accessories…’.

The three storeyed building is constructed mainly of brick in a ‘Free’ style. It features a moulded parapet which is clearly inscribed ‘ESTBD 1865, P. & D. DUNCAN LIMTD, BUILT 1903’. Oamaru stone detailing enhances the building with keystones and horizontal banding. Immediately to the east is the R. Buchanan & Sons foundry building which was constructed in 1904-5 in similar materials and style. The interior contains the original Jarrah floors and Oregon trusses.

The building passed in to the ownership of the Cotter family (Te Wharau Investments Ltd) in 1980 and in 1986 the business of P. & D. Duncan closed, after a century of contribution to the development of New Zealand agriculture. The threat of demolition of the main building was averted by the decision of the Cotters to strengthen and convert it for mixed residential-retail use in the mid-1990s, to the designs of the architectural practice Warren and Mahoney. The rear buildings were demolished and more apartments were built at the rear during the later stages of the development (before 1998) but these are not included in the extent of the List entry. The redevelopment was one of the earliest inner city apartment conversations of an industrial building in Christchurch, and the Cotters were recognised with a Civic Trust Award for the restoration and conversion development in 1994.