Joseph Maddison

Joseph Clarkson Maddison (26 February 1850 – 11 December 1923) was a New Zealand architect. He trained as an architect in his native London and came to Canterbury at the age of 22. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, he was one of the most prominent architects in Christchurch, receiving commissions from all over the country. Until the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, 13 of his buildings were listed by Heritage New Zealand on their register, with three of those Category I listings, but many of the Christchurch buildings have been demolished since. His style was plain and utilitarian, and he specialised in the classical Italian mode.

Early life Maddison was born in Greenwich, Kent, England in 1850. His parents were the beer merchant John Maddison and Matilda Clarkson. He attended private schools.

Career

From age 17, Maddison studied in England under architect George Morris and at the National Art Training School. ) but his name does not appear on the shipping list. He initially had an office in Cashel Street, but from 1878 to 1916 worked from an office in Hereford Street approximately opposite Liverpool Lane.

He won two major competitions with his designs, including taking both first and second place in a competition to design Christchurch Town Hall in 1879.

In the early twentieth century, having established a national reputation for his work, Maddison designed the Christchurch Government Building, the Clarendon Hotel and the temporary exhibition buildings for the 1906 International Exhibition. The exhibition building was constructed in Christchurch's Hagley Park and had massive dimensions: the frontage measured 399 m, it was 113 m deep and the two towers were 49 m tall. The building, erected at a cost of £54,000, was removed again after the International Exhibition finished.

Maddison entered the competition for the new Parliament Buildings in Wellington, after the original building burned down in 1907. The competition received 33 entries, and Maddison's entry did not get amongst the first nine. Government architect John Campbell's entries won first and fourth prize, and the building that was constructed combines elements of those two designs.

Clarendon Hotel demolition is under-way 78 Worcester Street, Christchurch Central City Hotel façade retained for 1987 office high rise

Mona Vale damaged by earthquake; future unknown 63 Fendalton Road, Riccarton Restaurant, café and function centre in the centre of a public park

Linwood Public Library (former) mostly collapsed in the February 2011 earthquake 388 Worcester Street, Linwood Former public library used as a community centre

Old Government Building apparently ok, but located within the red zone 28 Cathedral Square, Christchurch Central City These days a luxury hotel and apartments

St Luke's Chapel (Christchurch City Mission) ? 275 Hereford Street, Christchurch Central City Chapel relocated to the grounds of the Christchurch City Mission

St Mary the Virgin vicarage ? Church Square, Addington 1877 vicarage

Warner's Hotel demolished in 2011 50 Cathedral Square, Christchurch Central City Hotel built in 1901

Wood Bros Flour Mill most buildings demolished in 2011 14-24 Wise Street, Addington Former flower and grain mill, with the main building designed successively by Maddison in the 1890s

Zetland Hotel demolished in 2011 88-92 Cashel Street, Christchurch Central City Hotel built in 1903

Merchiston Station homestead Putorino Road, Rata (near Hunterville) Homestead built in 1908

St Paul's Church Port Levy Church built in 1887/88

Style Maddison was known for his plain and utilitarian style, which suited the industrial design field in which he preferred to work. He tended to specialise in the classical Italian mode, rarely expanding into other, more baroque areas of architecture. He made forays into domestic gothic architecture with the Nurses' Home at Christchurch Hospital and the Zetland Arms Hotel, but these buildings were not as well-received as his usual work.