Charles Thomas

Charles Ramon Thomas (23 July 1928 – 26 April 2022) was a New Zealand architect. He belonged to a movement of post-war architects in Christchurch who helped shape the Christchurch Style of architecture. Over a career spanning six decades, Thomas designed numerous residential, commercial and public buildings in Christchurch.

Among Thomas' notable works include Our Lady of Victories Church (1967) and the School of Music building (1974) at the University of Canterbury, both of which have won NZIA enduring architecture awards in 2004 and 2018, respectively. Thomas also designed high-rise buildings during the 1980s boom in Christchurch, including Arthur Young House (1985) and the headquarters of Don Forbes Construction (1983).

Thomas spent most of his life in Christchurch, where he was born. He took an interest in architecture while attending Christchurch Boys' High School, and briefly lived in Auckland to study the discipline at Auckland University College. Soon after graduating, he returned to Christchurch and worked for various architectural practices, before starting his own in the early 1960s.

Biography Charles Ramon Thomas was born in Christchurch on 23 July 1928, the son of Maud Victoria and Johnston Vivian Thomas. He grew up in the suburb of Sydenham. He was educated at Christchurch Boys' High School, where one of his teachers saw his potential and encouraged him to pursue architecture.

Following World War II, Thomas attended Auckland University College. After graduating, he returned to Christchurch where he worked for Griffiths Architects, and later, Hall & Mackenzie Architects. He started his own practice, Charles Thomas & Associates, in 1962. Examples of this in his work include Boyd House (1970) in Spreydon, and the University of Canterbury; Thomas designed both the School of Music (1974) which won the 2018 Enduring Architecture award from the New Zealand Institute of Architects, and worked on the Rochester and Rutherford halls of residence. In 1985, he designed Arthur Young House for the Methodist Church in Christchurch.

In the 1960s, Thomas designed the Our Lady of Victories Church in Sockburn, which won several awards from the New Zealand Institute of Architects. Two of Thomas' children, Simon and Nicholas, took over his architectural practice; it is now known as Thomas & Associates.