Work starts converting old law library into new offices

Saturday, 13 June 2026

An artist's impression of the completed renovation of the former law library, left, with the tower building at right, in Huadu's former court complex on Durham St.

Christchurch’s old law library on the banks of the Avon River is undergoing a major renovation as its owners prepare to reopen it as an office building.

Developer and investor Huadu International bought the central city property as part of the city’s old law courts complex seven years ago.

The 1970s law library overlooks Victoria Square and was designed by Christchurch architects Warren and Mahoney.

Workers in action on the old law library this week.

Huadu now has machinery and workers onsite. Roofing material is being removed as the project gets under way.

Huadu’s property sales and leasing manager, Jimmy Tu, said strengthening and restoring the former law library is likely to take about three months.

“We are trying to preserve the historical components of it, and at the same time put in the new technologies,” he said.

The Huadu International complex as seen from Victoria Park.

The library was built about the same time as the Christchurch Town Hall opposite, another Warren and Mahoney design.

After the Canterbury earthquakes the courts moved out to temporary facilities, and then into the new Justice and Emergency Services precinct. The new premises of the New Zealand Law Society library are now on the ground floor of the precinct.

The old Durham St courts site was first sold by the Crown to Ngāi Tahu.

Huadu has its education centre inside the tower building on Durham St.

The iwi then onsold the property for $25 million to Science Alive!, which planned to spend another $25m to turn it into an interactive science centre with science education facilities.

Despite later scaling back the plan drastically, the organisation was unable to progress with the project and in 2018 abandoned the plan and put the buildings up for sale.

The Peebles Group now owns the heritage-listed former Magistrates Court building facing Armagh St, which is leased to a preschool, and the land around it including a car park.

Jianping Wang, owner of Huadu International.

Huadu International took over the rest of the complex.

Huadu has already refurbished and strengthened the tower building on the property, which is occupied by the Huadu New Zealand Education Centre, run by the company’s education division.

Work under way at the old law library site this week.

Another building facing Durham St has been demolished.

The former New Zealand Law Society library is fenced off and has been tagged while sitting vacant.

It was previously leased for various uses while in its post-quake state. Christchurch MP Duncan Webb had his headquarters there, before he moved to nearby Victoria St.

The 2000m2 building has two levels above ground including a double-height ground floor with a mezzanine, and has additional floorspace below ground level.

Tu said the company is on the lookout for office tenants for the building, and will also consider a hospitality business such as a bar or cafe.

“It could be offices for a professional firm, or something medical or health-related. We are open to discussion on anything.

“The location is brilliant, it’s so close to the convention centre and the CBD.”

Huadu International was founded in Christchurch in 2013 and is owned by Jianping (JP) Wang.

The company has already completed several major property developments in Christchurch.

They include constructing then selling the Manawa building and the Huadu international Hub in the city’s health precinct, and building the Cranmer Gardens apartment complex opposite Latimer Square.

Another health precinct building, the Huadu International Recovery Centre, is planned for an Oxford Tce site.

The company at one time owned the former Inland Revenue office building on Cashel St, but did not progress with its development plans and onsold the property.