The former Government Life building in Christchurch's Cathedral Square will be demolished. On my walk around the city May 21, 2014 Christchurch New Zealand. www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christch...
The increase in urban population has required cities to rethink their strategies for minimising greenhouse gas impacts and adapting to climate change. While urban design and planning policy have been guided by principles such as walkability (to reduce the dependence on cars) and green infrastructure (to enhance the quality of open spaces to support conservation and human values), there have been conflicting views on what spatial strategies will best prepare cities for a challenging future. Researchers supporting compact cities based upon public Transit Oriented Development have claimed that walkability, higher density and mixed-uses make cities more sustainable (Owen, 2009) and that, while green spaces in cities are necessary, they are dull in comparison with shopfronts and street vendors (Speck, 2012, p 250). Other researchers claim that green infrastructure is fundamental to improving urban sustainability and attracting public space users with improved urban comfort, consequently encouraging walkability (Pitman and Ely, 2013). Landscape architects tend to assume that ‘the greener the better’; however, the efficiency of urban greenery in relation to urban comfort and urbanity depends on its density, distribution and the services provided. Green infrastructure can take many forms (from urban forests to street trees) and provide varied services (amended microclimate, aesthetics, ecology and so forth). In this paper, we evaluate the relevance of current policy in Christchurch regarding both best practice in green infrastructure and urban comfort (Tavares, 2015). We focus on the Christchurch Blueprint for rebuilding the central city, and critically examine the post-earthquake paths the city is following regarding its green and grey infrastructures and the resulting urban environment. We discuss the performance and appropriateness of the current Blueprint in post-earthquake Christchurch, particularly as it relates to the challenges that climate change is creating for cities worldwide.
A poster created by Empowered Christchurch to advertise their submission to the CERA Draft Transition Recovery Plan on social media.The poster reads, "Submission, CERA Draft Transition Recovery Plan. Future Insurability. In an article in the New Zealand Herald of 5 November 2014, the CEO of IAG refers to cooperation with the NZ Government on a strategic intent in 2011 to avoid depopulation of Christchurch. Now that the ICNZ has signalled its intention to withdraw from high-risk areas and the CCC also plans to redefine the boundaries of the city so as to exclude properties below the Mean High Water Springs. We ask whether a 'recovery' involves abandoning people once the insurance and bank sectors have managed a retreat? We need a city that is driven by the people that live in it, and enabled by a bureaucracy that accepts and mitigates risks, rather than transferring them to the most vulnerable of its residents".
A photograph of a woman making coffee in a temporary café in a house in the Christchurch central city.
A spray-painted message on a wall of Englefield Lodge reads "We will try to save this house." Wooden bracing supports the wall. The photographer comments, "A bike ride around the CBD. Englefield, Christchurch's oldest house in Fitzgerald Ave".
A PDF copy of a page on the EQ Recovery Learning site which linked to a YouTube video. In 2015, Christchurch hosted the biggest international cricket tournament ever to be played in New Zealand - the ICC Cricket World Cup. Take a look behind the scenes and through the eyes of some of Canterbury's most passionate cricketers as cricket makes its epic return to the Hagley Oval.
A photograph of a sign on the door of the Christchurch City Council Building on Hereford Street. The sign reads, "EOC staff to use Worcester Street entrance".
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.
An aerial photograph of the Christchurch central city with the intersection between Tuam and Colombo Street in the bottom centre.
A poster created by Empowered Christchurch to advertise their submission to the CERA Draft Transition Recovery Plan on social media.The poster reads, "Submission. CERA Draft Transition Recovery Plan. 5. In your opinion, is there a better way to report on these recovery issues? We believe that, as regards residential recovery, monitoring should extend to code compliance certificates. According to figures published in 2014, only factions of repairs/rebuilds are completed with the issue of a code compliance certificate. To conclude the work to the required standard, someone must pay for the code compliance. Leaving things as they are could have serious negative consequences for the recovery and for the city as a whole. We suggest an investigation of number of outstanding code compliance certificates and that responsible parties are made to address this outstanding work. We need a city that is driven by the people that live in it, and enabled by a bureaucracy that accepts and mitigates risks, rather than transferring them to the most vulnerable residents."
A web story about a site visit to the Bridge and Arch by local school pupils.
A web story about the model design work by Christ's College pupils.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Snow in the central city red zone".
An aerial photograph of the Christchurch central city with Armagh Street in the foreground and Christ Church Cathedral in the centre.
A crane with a wrecking ball demolishing St Elmo Courts on Hereford Street. Behind it is the Christchurch City Council Building.
A photograph of Christchurch City Council vehicles parked in an empty site on the corner of Cashel Street and Cambridge Terrace.
A consent granted by the Christchurch City Council, providing consent to carry out earthquake repair work that may affect protected vegetation.
An aerial photograph of the Christchurch central city with Victoria Square in the centre and the Crowne Plaza in the distance.
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