The Firm of Armson Collins

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.