After Canterbury College’s Chemistry Department had spent thirty-five years in a ‘temporary’ facility known as the Old Tin Shed, a tender for a new building was let in December 1908 for £8,168, the foundation stone was laid on 4 June 1909, and the building was opened on 23 February 1910.
The main stone used was Blue Halswell basalt, with Oamaru limestone for the facings, Hoon Hay basalt for the columns, Timaru basalt for the steps, and patterned blue slate for the roof. The two lower floors were concrete, and the upper floor was constructed of jarrah wood.
