Christchurch's Millers department store and factory was designed by George Hart and opened in 1939. Its flat facade and horizontal window bands referenced the European Bauhaus style of the 1920s. Millers was the first slab construction building in New Zealand. Internal pillars and beams carry the building's load (weight), allowing for cantilevered exterior walls. This night-time view from 1939 highlights the structure's modernity. It was sold in 1978 and became the Christchurch City Council offices. The building had to be demolished following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Using this item
Alexander Turnbull Library, Making New Zealand Centennial Collection (PAColl-3060)
Reference:
PAColl-3060-028
Photograph by Green & Hahn
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
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