Dux de Lux, Heritage building in the Arts Centre, Christchurch, New Zealand
The Dux de Lux stands as a Tudor Revival style building constructed from double brick with timber-framed roofs, featuring stained glass windows, slate tile roofing, and decorative rimu wood panels throughout its interconnected wings.
Originally built in 1883 as a private residence called Llanmaes for merchant John Lewis, the building was designed by architect Francis William Petre and later served as Canterbury University's Student Union from 1929 until 1978.
The venue became a cornerstone of Christchurch's music scene, hosting early performances by bands like Salmonella Dub, who dedicated their 2013 single 'Same Home Town' to acknowledge the building's influence on their career development.
Following severe damage from the February 2011 earthquake, the building remains closed while the Dux brand continues operations through relocated venues including Dux Dine in Riccarton and Dux Central on Poplar Street.
The building was not the first student union: Canterbury's Students' Association rejected the university's offer of Llanmaes, and architects Collins and Harman extended it in the original English Domestic Revival style before it served as the union from 1929. The name Dux de Lux is Latin for 'Masters of the Finest'.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,748 contributors worldwide.
