Maurice and I is a film about creative partnership, legacy, loss, and the difficult decisions communities face after natural disasters. It centres on the transformative collaboration between Sir Miles Warren and Maurice Mahoney, whose bold brutalist designs reshaped Christchurch, New Zealand, in the 1960s and 70s, enriching the city’s cultural and social landscape. Their most iconic work, the Christchurch Town Hall, faced demolition after the devastating 2011 earthquake that killed 185 people and caused widespread destruction. Now in their late 80s, Sir Miles and Maurice reunite in the fight to save this world-renowned concert hall. Through rare archival footage and exclusive interviews—including their final conversation together—the film reflects on their extraordinary legacy, the community impact of their bold architectural vision, and the enduring importance of architecture in shaping and enriching our lives.

Jane: My father was Maurice Mahoney, the lesser-known half of the “iconic” Warren and Mahoney architectural partnership with Miles Warren. As a child, I often heard people ask him: “Why does Miles Warren get all the credit? …all the publicity? …the recognition? …the knighthood?” Maurice’s answer never changed. With genuine nonchalance he would dismiss it: “Oh, he can have it. I’m happy in the background. I’m much more comfortable here.” Maurice was shy, modest, tireless, and a man of few words. Making this film, I came to understand he was also (he would be embarrassed now) a genius.

Rick: I first sensed the potential for this documentary in 2010, when I had the honour of meeting and interviewing Sir Miles Warren for another project. It’s fair to say Sir Miles was then—and perhaps still is—New Zealand’s best-known architect. During the interview we spoke about the design and construction of the Christchurch Town Hall, from its inception in 1966 to completion in 1972. Sir Miles often began his sentences with “Maurice and I…”: “Maurice and I” this, “Maurice and I” that. It became clear that this remarkable building was not the product of one man, but a collaboration between Sir Miles and his far less known partner, the enigmatic Maurice Mahoney (and, as I later discovered, the eminent acoustician Sir Harold Marshall). I was intrigued to learn more about this “silent partner” who had played a key role in shaping Sir Miles’s creative visions. Soon after that interview, the Town Hall’s story took an unexpected turn.

Jane: On 22 February 2011, in less than forty seconds, Christchurch residents’ lives were turned upside down. The 6.3 earthquake struck at 12:53 on a Tuesday. It was shallow, incredibly powerful, and its epicentre was close to the CBD. In the aftermath it was hard to find anyone who hadn’t been deeply affected: injuries, trauma, death. A huge portion of the population was forced to relocate and/or endure years of repairs and rebuilding, with inevitable insurance issues and complications. As we processed personal loss, we also faced the disorienting loss of our city: more than 1,800 central-city buildings were demolished, landmarks disappeared, and with them the shared memories of a wounded community. I was working in advertising at the time, but a couple of years later I found myself “in the thick of it” at the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA), the government agency tasked with coordinating the rebuild of the city, infrastructure and community. In the communications and marketing team, I oversaw the production of various documentary projects about the rebuild and community-led recovery initiatives.

Rick: That’s where I met Jane. My company, Belmont, had been contracted to produce some projects for CERA. Knowing she was Maurice Mahoney’s daughter, I told her about my idea for a documentary on the Christchurch Town Hall. At that time, the Town Hall’s fate was uncertain: damage to its foundations had the “powers that be” preparing for demolition. Then, in 2018, Jane came to the studio and told me Maurice had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had only months to live. That was the moment to stop talking and start filming. We began immediately, interviewing Maurice at home and filming Sir Miles and Maurice together at Ohinetahi. It would be their final interview together; Maurice passed away a few months later, in October 2018. Still not knowing exactly what form the film would take, we continued gathering interviews with those involved in the original build—Sir Harold Marshall and Barry Dacombe—as well as those who fought to restore the hall after the quake.

Jane: As the “cast” grew—each with different experiences and perspectives—it became clear this story was much more than the story of a successful architectural firm, and more than the fate of a single building hanging by a thread. Maurice and I explores universal themes of respect, love and loss. It is a story about the creative power of true partnership, about craft, passion and innovation, and about the transformative power of architecture. On a personal level, it has been deeply satisfying to shine a light on my father Maurice and his essential contribution to the Warren and Mahoney partnership. In life he was happy to work in the shadows, content for Miles to be the front man and receive the honours… but this time, the illuminated name is Maurice.