The Christchurch Town Hall of the Performing Arts stands on Kilmore Street beside the Avon River, overlooking Victoria Square. It was designed by Warren and Mahoney, with acoustics by Professor Harold Marshall, and built by six local authorities. It opened on 30 September 1972 and won the New Zealand Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1973. The style is Brutalist, and it is an example of the Christchurch style.
The main auditorium has 2,250 seats and is known for its acoustics. A second theatre, the James Hay Theatre, has 750 seats. The hall also has a Rieger pipe organ.
Earthquakes damaged the building in 2011 through liquefaction and lateral spreading toward the river. The council voted in 2012 to rebuild it for 127.5 million New Zealand dollars, and the first part reopened in February 2019. It has Category I heritage listing.
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