Skip to main content
Dictionary of New Zealand Biography logo

Biography: Beaven, Peter Jamieson

Manchester Unity Building, Christchurch

Tall multi-storey office building dwarfing the other buildings around it in central Christchurch.

The Manchester Unity Building in central Christchurch was designed by Peter Beaven in 1964. It was deliberately different from other such towers designed by modernist architects elsewhere in New Zealand and was the beginning of a distinctive post-war Christchurch architecture. This image was taken shortly after completion. 

Using this item

Peter Beaven

by Mannering & Associates Ltd, Christchurh

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

How to cite this page

Ian J. Lochhead. 'Beaven, Peter Jamieson', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 2022. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/47607/manchester-unity-building-christchurch (accessed 19 June 2026).