厙ぴ勛圖

The architectural firm of Armson Collins was formed in 1870 when William Armson arrived in Christchurch. The firm went on to practice under a great many names, as partners came and went. It is unique however in that the firm existed for over 120 years, and was home to four generations of architects from the Collins family.

• 1862���������������������� William Armson begins practice in Dunedin
• 1870���������������������� Armson establishes the firm in Christchurch
• 1871���������������������� John James Collins joins the firm as an articled pupil
• 1879���������������������� Armson designs the Boys' High School for Canterbury College
• 1881���������������������� The success of the firm means they now have a staff of 13
• 1883���������������������� William Armson dies
• 1883���������������������� The firm operates as Armson, Collins and Lloyd
• 1887���������������������� Richard Dacre Harman joins the firm
• 1903���������������������� John Goddard Collins joins the firm
• 1916���������������������� The firm operates as Armson, Collins, Harman and Munnings
• 1921���������������������� J.J. Collins retires
• 1927���������������������� R.D. Harman dies
• 1928���������������������� The firm probably becomes Collins and Son at this time
• 1936���������������������� John Kempthorne Collins joins the firm
• 1955���������������������� J.G. Collins retires
• 1957���������������������� Collins and Son design new School of Art on Ilam Campus
• 1960���������������������� Richard John Kempthorne Collins joins the firm
• 1965���������������������� The firm completes changes to Registry on College town site
• 1993���������������������� The firm closes after 123 years
• 1994���������������������� The Armson Collins Collection is donated to UC

By the time the firm closed it was one of the two oldest architectural firms in the country. It is possible that J.J. Collins and R.D. Harman may have been the first Christchurch based architects to have been born and trained in New Zealand. The firm was to have an impact on architectural design throughout New Zealand, but its major influence was on the Canterbury landscape, with their numerous public and private commissions bearing witness to years of hard labour.

Unfortunately many of the firm���s buildings are no longer standing, but it is some consolation that one of the firm���s great achievements was to create the Armson Collins Collection of architectural drawings, photographs and archives.