The Christchurch City Council has received a strong warning from the Earthquake Recovery Minister to speed up its processing of building consents or lose its power to authorise consents.
A couple in a red-zoned dog kennel, completing the dwelling census. Their accommodation has one room;, their only heating is by body heat and burning furniture; their rent is $1000 per week. Two years after the earthquakes, the living conditions of many in the 'red zones' of Christchurch was poor, owing to local body, government and insurance companies' tardiness. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
A PDF copy of pages 16-17 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'The RDUnit - Mobile Broadcasting Facility'. Photos: Rachel Morton
A PDF copy of pages 188-189 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Dairy and Container Colombo Street'. Photos: Coralie Winn
As far as suburbs with bad reputations go, Aranui in Christchurch often seems to dominate local public perceptions. High crime, high unemployment, low incomes, run-down state houses and uncared-for neighbourhoods have been the key words and phrases used over many decades. This reputation achieved national standing over the same period and in 2001 Aranui gained the dubious distinction of becoming the pilot project for the Labour Government’s state housing Community Renewal Programme initiated in 2001. It is common to read “Don’t buy or rent here” comments on websites and blogs advising prospective immigrants on where to live. One of the dispiriting moments in Aranui’s history came in September 2009 with the discovery of two bodies under the floorboards of a Hampshire Street property and the subsequent charge of double-homicide and conviction of local resident Jason Somerville for the murder of his wife Rebecca Chamberlain and neighbour Tisha Lowry.
A PDF copy of pages 246-247 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'The Earthquake in Chile'. Photos: Sharon Mazer. With permission from Free Theatre.
A PDF copy of pages 258-259 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Upon the Upland Road'. Photos: Trent Hiles
A PDF copy of pages 300-301 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Coffee Zone Mini Park'. Photos with permission from Greening the Rubble
A video of interviews with four enterprising young Christchurch residents recorded two years after the 22 February 2011 earthquake. The video includes interviews with Gap Filler Director Coralie Winn, Arts Centre Director Andrew Lovatt, artist Mike Hewson, and Student Volunteer Army leader Jason Pembleton. The interviewees are asked four questions: 'What do you think Christchurch city centre will look like in 10 years?', 'What do you most want to see in the new city?', 'What do you miss most about the old city?', and 'What keeps you in Christchurch?'.
An aerial photograph looking south-east across the Christchurch central city, with Ferry Road at the top centre.
The city of Christchurch has experienced over 10,000 aftershocks since the 4th of September 2010 earthquake of which approximately 50 have been greater than magnitude 5. The damage caused to URM buildings in Christchurch over this sequence of earthquakes has been well documented. Due to the similarity in age and construction of URM buildings in Adelaide, South Australia and Christchurch (they are sister cities, of similar age and heritage), an investigation was conducted to learn lessons for Adelaide based on the Christchurch experience. To this end, the number of URM buildings in the central business districts of both cities, the extent of seismic strengthening that exists in both cities, and the relative earthquake hazards for both cities were considered. This paper will report on these findings and recommend strategies that the city of Adelaide could consider to significantly reduce the seismic risk posed by URM buildings in future earthquake.
A public talk by Michael Gorman, Christchurch City Missioner at the City Mission. This talk, entitled 'Dealing with the social aftershock', formed part of the Plenary Two session, 'Clearing the decks'.
In 2010 Neil Challenger, Head of the School of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University, stated that the malls surrounding Christchurch drove the life out of the inner city of Christchurch. His economic and sociological concerns were expressed even before the earthquake occurred, and this forms the current hesitation on the rebuilding of Christchurch’s inner city. The position of this research proposal is to establish whether an urban architectural intervention can address these economic and sociological concerns and the potentially devastating effects the suburban mall has had on urban life within Christchurch. The thesis specifically asks whether establishing a mall typology as a landmark building within the inner city can strategically engage the damaged historic buildings of post-earthquake Christchurch in ways that actively preserve these historic remnants. The main intention of this research is to engage the damaged historic buildings of post-earthquake Christchurch in ways that actively preserve these remnants and are also economically viable. By preserving the remnants as active, working elements of the urban fabric, they act as historic reminders or memorials of the event and associated loss, while also actively participating in the regrowth of the city. The thesis argues that contemporary architecture can play a strategic role in these imperatives. Overall this research argues that there exists a distinct requirement for large-scale retail in the inner city urban environment that recognises and responds to the damaged cultural and historic architecture of inner city Christchurch. The objective of the thesis is to propose means to rejuvenate not only the economic vitality of central Christchurch,but also its historic character.
A PDF copy of pages 304-305 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Fitzgerald Ave Community Garden'. Photos with permission from Greening the Rubble
A PDF copy of pages 92-93 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Kirkwood Village University of Canterbury'. Photos: Heather Hayward
A PDF copy of pages 26-27 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project '100 Days to Rebuild Democracy'. Photos used with permission: Bronwyn Hayward
A PDF copy of pages 242-243 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Ministry of Justice Gate Keepers'. Photos: Douglas Horrell
A PDF copy of pages 102-103 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Dog Park Art Project Space'. Photo: Stacey Weaver Photography
A PDF copy of pages 210-211 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'St Luke's Labyrinth'. Page 210 photos: Irene Boles. Page 211 photos: Peter Walker, Three Chairs Photography. With permission from Student Volunteer Army Foundation.
A signpost pointing 'West' and 'East'. The sign pointing West is intact; that indicating East is broken and barely hanging on to the post. Refers to the condition of Christchurch City after the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011; the western wealthier suburbs were less damaged than the poorer Eastern suburbs. Also, progress on repair and rehabilitation of eastern housing had been slow. The redesign of the city centre seemed to be a western suburb priority which ignored the poverty and misery of living conditions on the east. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
A PDF copy of pages 232-233 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'SVA - The Clean Up'. Photos: Peter Walker, Three Chairs Photography. With permission from Volunteer Army Foundation.
A PDF copy of pages 294-295 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Bus Exchange Boundary Seats'. Photos with permission from Greening the Rubble
Children play on street furniture on Gloucester Street, part of one of the Christchurch City Council's Transitional City projects. In the background is the facade of the Isaac Theatre Royal, protected by shipping containers.
Children play on street furniture on Gloucester Street, part of one of the Christchurch City Council's Transitional City projects. In the background is the facade of the Isaac Theatre Royal, protected by shipping containers.
Children play on street furniture on Gloucester Street, part of one of the Christchurch City Council's Transitional City projects. In the background is the facade of the Isaac Theatre Royal, protected by shipping containers.
Group case study report prepared for lecturers Ton Buhrs and Roy Montgomery by students of ERST 635 at Lincoln University, 2013.The New Zealand Government’s decision to establish a unitary authority in the Auckland Region has provided much of the context and impetus for this review of current governance arrangements in the Canterbury region, to determine whether or not they are optimal for taking the communities of greater Christchurch into the future. A number of local governance academics, as well as several respected political pundits, have prophesised that the Auckland ‘Super City’ reforms of 2009 will have serious implications and ramifications for local governance arrangements in other major cities, particularly Wellington and Christchurch. Wellington councils have already responded to the possibility of change by undertaking a series of reports on local governance arrangements, as well as a major review led by Sir Geoffrey Palmer, to investigate options for governance reform. Alongside these developments, the Christchurch earthquakes beginning in September 2010 have raised a myriad of new and complex governance issues, which may or may not be able to be addressed under the status quo, while the replacement of Regional Councillors’ with centrally-appointed Commissioners is suggestive of government dissatisfaction with current arrangements. With these things in mind, the research group has considered local government in Canterbury and the greater Christchurch area in the wider governance context. It does not limit discussion to only the structure of local government in Canterbury but rather, as the brief (Appendix 1) indicates, considers more broadly the relationship between central, regional, and local tiers of government, as well as the relationship between local government and local communities.
An aerial view of Cathedral Square and the central city, during the Canterbury Tales procession. Canterbury Tales was created by Free Theatre Christchurch, and was the main event of FESTA 2013.
An aerial view of Re:START mall and the central city, during the Canterbury Tales procession. Canterbury Tales was created by Free Theatre Christchurch, and was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A PDF copy of pages 212-213 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project '500 Days: Churchill Park'. Photos: Peter Walker, Three Chairs Photography. With permission from Volunteer Army Foundation.
A PDF copy of pages 204-205 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Four Corners Youth Space'. Page 204 photos: Irene Boles. Page 205 photos: Peter Walker, Three Chairs Photography. With permission from Student Volunteer Army Foundation.