I never understood how a man could dare
To watch a city shaken to the ground
To feel the tremors, hear the tragic sound,
Of houses twisting, crashing everywhere,
And not be conquered by despair.

Although his buildings crumble to a mound
Of worthless ruins, man has always found
The urge to build a stronger city there.

Within my soul I made my towers high.
They lie in ruins, yet I have begun
To build again, now planning to restore
What life has shaken to the earth; And I in faith
Shall build my towers towards the sun
A stronger city than was there before.

This apt little verse was posted by Flyin, back over on the 'what damage' thread and it really struck me. As Flyin said it was written back in the 1930's just after Napier and the Hawkes Bay had been so smashed up by NZ's worst earthquake by deaths and city destruction.

Rooty mentioned that there is a lot of negative press going around - well there is and we need to hear it, absorb it and wallow in it. But you/we must not be consumed by it.

We all in our own way grieve for different things - the way life was before 4:30am on Saturday, a building or buildings you or I loved that is not there any more or may be pulled down..........we all have something that has changed us forever because of this event wherever we may be in the world. But just read the last verse again...


Within my soul I made my towers high.
They lie in ruins, yet I have begun
To build again, now planning to restore
What life has shaken to the earth; And I in faith
Shall build my towers towards the sun
A stronger city than was there before


That's what this city is about, and that's why we are all here on SSC, because we believe this can and will happen. Here is the chance for everyone to see that CHC and the people of NZ can't be knocked down and stay lying down. We'll get up and build and shine again.

Take note of the Motto of our Beautiful City:

http://resources.ccc.govt.nz/images/Crest.jpg

Fide condita, fructu beata, spe fortis


"Founded in Faith, Rich in the Fruits of the Earth and Her Industry, Bold is Her Claim on the Future"


I don't believe that the City Fathers just thought that was a nice little ditty to pop on a scroll - THEY BELIEVED IT AND SO DO I!

So in the thread, let's focus on the good and positive that will slowly come about because of this event and watch Christchurch and Canterbury Fourish again.

Prime Minister John Key will visit earthquake-ravaged Christchurch tomorrow as city leaders and the Government meet to decide how to handle the re-build of the city.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker told a press conference this afternoon a "significant'' amount of funding would be injected into the Canterbury region.

He warned the short-term financial outlook was still challenging.

A Government-led group, headed by Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee, would ensure the city got the money and resources needed to start re-building its infrastructure, Parker said.

"The reality is it is still going to be a long, hard process but the long-term financial picture is sound.''

The Government had promised a "significant amount of money'' would be given to Christchurch, Waimakariri and Selwyn communities.

"There will be a significant flow of funds into this part of the province,'' Parker said.

The Press

Prime Minister John Key has announced a $5m donation to the mayoral fund set up to rebuild earthquake ravaged canterbury.

There have been donations of 6 m to the fund, set up by Mayor Bob Parker on Saturday, from the private sector.

Cabinet has appointed Minister for Economic Development Gerry Brownlee to oversee the rebuild, Mr Key said.

Mr Key will not delay his trip to Europe later this week.

The cost of repairs from Saturday's magnitude 7.1 quake is estimated to be $2 billion.

At least 100,000 households are expected to claim around $1bn from the Earthquake Commission (EQC).

Cabinet held an "extensive" three hour discussion today, Mr Key said.

Cabinet was briefed by civil defence minister John Carter and agricultural minister David Carter today. They outlined damage to infrastructure such as roads and the sewage system as well to farms. Engineers are still investigating the extent of this. But the cost of repairs to this would have to be met by central Government.

A large number of schools are expected to be re-opened on Wednesday and rail lines later this week.

Experts are also on route from Australia to help the Earthquake Commission. There were 4000 calls to a 24 hour help line.

EQC had received 15000 claims so far.

By CHRIS TROTTER - The Press

Chris Trotter Did they shoot the messenger? Difficult but right pitch could change unions' image The 'why' of superannuation more important than the 'what' Key's union bashing uncalled for and a big step backwards Chinese themselves would understand not selling NZ farmland Powerful forces alter landscape Vast and slow are the forces that shape our world. As we human beings flit, sometimes purposefully, more often heedlessly, across its surface, the mute miles of stone beneath out feet are driven forward, millimetre by relentless millimetre, on invisible and unfathomable tides of molten magma.

Continents move. Climates change. Plants and animals evolve. Our life spans are too brief for our brains to acknowledge all but the most rapid changes: the transformation of our parents' and our children's faces; the steady growth of trees; the rise and fall of mighty empires. The adult may fly, they say, lives but a single day. Measured against the finely- ground sands of geological time we are all mayflies.

Fortunate human beings can live their entire lives blissfully unaware of this immeasurably powerful "other history" unfolding below them. There are occasional hints: ash clouds rising from a distant volcanic peak; a harmless rocking and rolling registered through the soles the feet.

We note them in passing (the more thoughtful among us recalling geography lessons from long ago) only to resume the flitting and darting of our mayfly lives.

Except.

Except when the whole blind ballet of stone and magma comes to a halt, and upon its temporarily immovable objects a mountainous weight begins to exert an irresistible force.

Except.

Except when the slow- breathing planet, unable to exhale, coughs, the earth heaves, breaks free, and the tectonic dance resumes.

At such moments our own brief histories, and the immeasurably vast, slow-moving history of the planet itself, touch one another.

For a few terrifying, jack-hammering seconds we are made aware of how impossibly, overwhelmingly big and powerful is the one, and how very, very small and insignificant is the other.

All the things we like to think of as solid and dependable: the homes we live in; beloved old buildings of brick and stone; the very streets we walk on; are bent and twisted, lifted up and cast down. It's as if the Almighty, like a surly child grown bored with his own creations, has laid them flat - just to see them fall.

Being touched in this way by what Charlton Heston, in The Ten Commandments, calls "the mighty hand of God" usually leaves human beings feeling frightened, helpless and awestruck.

So often nowadays we hear people use the expression "awesome" to describe what are really quite ordinary, even trivial events.

A major earthquake, however, really is awesome - something which inspires awe: that feeling of terror and insignificance we experience whenever we're confronted by forces immeasurably greater than ourselves.

But it doesn't last.

Homo sapiens may have walked on this planet for only 100,000 years, and his evolutionary forebears for less than 10 million years - a mere blink of an eye in geological time - but we are not without resources of our own.

Moving below the surface of our waking human mind is the magma of species memory and the far from mute impulses of mammalian instinct.

We are, after all, the heirs of the greatest disaster to befall this planet since the cosmic collision that gave birth to the Moon. When an asteroid larger than Mt Everest smashed into the Earth's crust 65 million years ago it wiped out 95 per cent of all the animal species then living.

That we are here at all is largely due to the social instincts of the family mammalia - the impulse to care for our own. With every evolutionary leap towards specialisation and sophistication that social impulse has grown stronger.

We call ourselves Homo sapiens - the man that knows. But we could just as easily (and probably with more justification) have called ourselves Homo caritas - the man that loves.

For whenever the earth quakes, the waters rise; the winds rage - or the bombs fall - something within us is simultaneously jolted loose.

It goes by many names and takes many forms, but the word that best describes human behaviour under crisis conditions is the word our Prime Minister, John Key, used when asked why he'd come to Christchurch following the magnitude 7.1 earthquake which struck the city on Saturday, September 4, 2010.

He came, he said, to show "solidarity". It's such a good word, solidarity. Derived from the Latin solidus, meaning "the whole", it speaks of that most powerful of human instincts - the instinct of the group to draw together when threatened.

Our political and economic systems may heap rewards upon the selfish and the sly, but when disaster strikes the overwhelming human response is to reach out, to help, to think of what best serves the interests of the whole.

Vast and slow are the forces that shape our world. When the earth heaves our first thoughts rush to the planetary forces that dwarf us.

But they are not the only forces at work.

Earthquakes may lay cities low - but it's love that rebuilds them.

By NICOLA RUSSELL - Sunday Star Times

Nothing was getting in the way of a Christchurch couple's big day yesterday, not even a 7.1 magnitude earthquake.

In fact bride and groom, Nina, 22 and Roderick Smith, 25 made the most of the quake's destruction using the rubble as artistic backdrop for their wedding photos, marking the day their love made the earth shake.

''All the places we were going to do photos were blocked [so] what we've been doing is driving around and finding nice looking rubble and making the most of a bad situation,'' said Nina, a research assistant, from her wedding car yesterday.

Wedding driver, Denis O'Rourke, said the couple were having a great time touring the fallen down Christchurch buildings and having their photos taken.

''They are basically old style two story brick shops which have partially fallen down on to the footpath and their verandas have collapsed.

''Any cloud has a silver lining, its a great opportunity to make the wedding memorable'' said O'Rourke who was impressed by the couples adaptability.

Photographer, Samantha Paterson said Nina, ''a wonderful laid back bride'', came up with the idea of using the rubble for photos, turning what could have been a difficult day into an enjoyable experience.

No guests were badly injured in the quake but the bride and her mother-in-law were sporting some bumps and bruises.

''There was a bit of a drama during the earthquake, I managed to take a spill and I have bruises on my arm. My mother-in-law, she got up to get under a door frame but the door swung and caught her foot and she's got quite a nasty gouge on it,'' said Nina.

The St Andrews College Memorial Chapel where the Papanui couple held their ceremony was unscathed, but the Old Vicarage where they were to have a family dinner before the ceremony was uninhabitable.

''The restaurant that we were going to have the family dinner at is completely a no go so at this rate we might be going to McDonalds,'' said Nina.

The reception venue, Addington Coffee Co-op, lost water but managed to get it on in time for the party.

''Luckily none of the venues were in the main centre city. It's been stressful at times but mostly we've just gone with the flow.''

Power has been returned to 98 percent of Christchurch while 90 percent of all homes now have water, but city officials are worried about falling masonry as aftershocks continue.

All buses will be back on city roads tomorrow, with some exceptions.

But a city-wide boil water notice remains in effect while Christchurch City Council engineers conduct water tests over the next 24 hours.

Fifty streets still had no mains water and the council had dispatched water tankers and portable toilets to 13 locations across the city.

Sewerage infrastructure had taken a hit with one pumping station and two wastewater treatment pumping stations "beyond repair,'' Council city environment general manager Jane Parfitt said.

Rubbish collections had resumed today and although the Litchfield St bus exchange had been cleared by structural engineers, a decision on whether buses would run tomorrow will not be made until late today.

Structural engineers had completed their assessments of buildings in the central business district.

Parfitt described the situation across Christchurch as "ordered and measured."

Full updates on city services and other important information was to be released at a press conference at 4pm.

Environment Canterbury this afternoon said the Metro bus network would resume except for routes 51 (Tower Junction-New Brighton) and 480 (Kainga).

Services to the inner city will be re-routed with pickup and drop-offs limited to Colombo St near Victoria Square and South City.

Meanwhile, the newly opened civic building suffered some interior damage but will stay closed until next Tuesday while a detailed structural assessment is done.

Prime Minister John Key has announced a $5 million donation to the mayoral fund set up to rebuild earthquake ravaged Canterbury.

There have been donations of $6 million to the fund, set up by Mayor Bob Parker on Saturday, from the private sector.

Cabinet has appointed Minister for Economic Development Gerry Brownlee to oversee the rebuild, Mr Key - who will not be delaying his trip to Europe later this week - said.

Saturday's magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck at 4.35am and caused widespread damage, much of it centred in Christchurch. The cost of repairs is estimated to be $2 billion and at least 100,000 households are expected to claim around $1 billion from the Earthquake Commission (EQC).

Mr Key said preliminary advice from Treasury suggested there will be "considerable disruption" to both the Canterbury and national economy in the short term.

"There should be an increase in economic activity once reconstruction kicks into gear," he said.

Around $94m was immediately available in the emergency works fund for roads "for use across the country" for the rest of the year.

"It's definitely not enough but it's enough to get started," he said.

The government will assist beyond the emergency work fund "if required."

Mr Key said the $5m dollars to the mayoral hardship fund is a ''starting point.'' The Government would look to contribute more if there was huge demand.

''You've got to remember that fund is only used for cases of welfare and hardship where that is not covered by other areas from the crown. A lot of people will be covered by Work and Income or other aspects of payment.''

The government will discuss with the local mayors tomorrow how the fund will be administrated.

Mr Key said costs to repair infrastructure are ''likely to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars'' and this would not come out of the mayoral fund.

''The first thing we need to do is understand that liability and we are simply not in a position to do that at the moment, Mr Key said.

Mr Key also moved to assure people who were worried they would not get wages.

''The first port of call to those workers should be to Work and Income and also the mayoral fund.''

He hoped private firms would continue paying workers for the next couple of weeks. But he admitted: ''Not all companies are in that strong a financial position to do that.''

He told reporters the government would have to be careful how they dealt with those who did not have insurance policies. They would ''need to demonstrate they are in true hardship.''

Meanwhile, Cabinet held an "extensive" three hour discussion about the Canterbury rebuild today, Mr Key said.

Cabinet was briefed by Civil Defence Minister John Carter and Agricultural Minister David Carter today. They outlined damage to infrastructure such as roads and the sewage system as well to farms. Engineers are still investigating the extent of this. But the cost of repairs to this would have to be met by central Government.

Also out of Cabinet:

- A large number of schools are expected to be re-opened on Wednesday and rail lines later this week.

- Experts are also on route from Australia to help the Earthquake Commission. There were 4000 calls to a 24 hour help line.

- EQC had received 15000 claims so far.

- EQC will establish three field offices with about 40 staff in each. The first will open later this week.

- The civil defence minister John Carter was meeting with local mayors this afternoon and offers of help from local authorities around the country would be taken up

New Regent Street Opened in Christchurch
Tuesday, 7 September 2010, 9:46 am

Christchurch's New Regent Street was given the green light tonight at 6pm from council staff and Civil Engineer Endel Lust. Earlier today the Historic Street was still gated off to the public, property and business owners. Todd Flygenring from the New Regent Street Business Group spent much of the day arranging with both Engineers and Council staff to arrange a assessment on the condition of the buildings following Saturdays devastating 7.1 magnitude quake.

The entire street is due to start a large restoration project which is being partly funded up to 40% by Christchurch City Council. The properties may also be successful in receiving NZ Historic Places trust funding and 22 properties have applied to the NZHPT Heritage Incentive Fund for funding in the 2010-2011 funding round. Original estimates for the work were around $1.5m however due to the recession this project may come in under a million.

Part of the works planned in the project is 'Seismic Strengthening'. According to Endel Lust(Civil Engineer) from a report completed in 2003 whilst the buildings are not earthquake prone however some remedial work was recommended however we're extremely fortunate that the buildings did not receive any structural damage in the quake. The basic structure of these buildings differs from many of the more seriously damaged building in the city as they comprise of reinforced concrete and encased steel beams as structural frames in the North-South and East-West directions and infill cavity brick panels.

Some business owners are likely to resume trading on Tuesday with the rest opening on Wednesday. The street is located just outside the police cordon so its likely many Christchurch Residents will visit the picturesque street again over the next few days. A big sigh of relief that this iconic piece of New Zealand history can be retained. And whilst Endel Lust when he completed his engineers reports back in 2003 at the request of the council probably never thought these building would ever be put to risk however Property Owners, Tenants and I'm sure Cantabrians are thankful these buildings have survived.

U2 Should hold benefit concert! Leave their fancy stage in Auckland, jsut give us the music!

I want some good news for a change.

I'll post all of the historic buildings that I know are OK.

St Michaels church, Oxford Tce and Durham St Sth.

Canterbury Museum.

The old Art Gallery.

Most of the buildings in Christ College.

and as Sydney posted, New Regent Street is OK.

Phew.

Apparently Victoria Clock Tower and Mansions are ok.

Also busses running again. Such a reassuring site. :)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/3018915156_da89bc9e84.jpg

Thanks for that post Sydney - what good news. I saw some video with New Regent street all blocked off, it looked ok, but I suppose they just need to make sure before letting people back in.

The Press Building is fine.

They have found a worrying crack in the Cathedral :ohno: but hey - that building will never come down if we can help it - it's the symbol of the city and region!

Glad to hear about St Michaels (the Anglican pro cathedral and one of the finest examples of French Gothic built in wood). It's my parents parish Church, Mass was cancelled on Sunday cause the building had not been checked........glad all is ok :)

Brilliant about the rest :):)

St Johns in Hororata is had it :(

Good idea for a thread Davee. Yea loved that poem, it's very relevant for Christchurch right now and into the re-building phase.

'A stronger city than was there before...' So true, so true.

Good idea for a thread Davee. Yea loved that poem, it's very relevant for Christchurch right now and into the re-building phase.

'A stronger city than was there before...' So true, so true.

...and look how beautiful Napier and the Hawkes Bay shine now!

Thank you for sharing the poem :)

St Johns of Hororata may be ok afterall.

PM went out there today to view the damage, met the vicar Jenny Carter. He seemed to make some noises about it being too important a building to lose.

Interred there is Sir John Hall (1824-1907), New Zealands 12th Prime Minister, served 1879-1882. Thats a good enough reason to save it for me.

Does Christchurch have similar building regulations to Wellington in terms of earthquake resistance or are they more relaxed about what can be built where and how?

St Johns of Hororata may be ok afterall.

PM went out there today to view the damage, met the vicar Jenny Carter. He seemed to make some noises about it being too important a building to lose.

Interred there is Sir John Hall (1824-1907), New Zealands 12th Prime Minister, served 1879-1882. Thats a good enough reason to save it for me.

Now there is some good news, very good news!

Does Christchurch have similar building regulations to Wellington in terms of earthquake resistance or are they more relaxed about what can be built where and how?

I'm not sure - I bet that's a question flyin would know the answer too.

I would have assumed that all building regs had the same earthquake building conditions on them......however, I may be wrong :dunno:

Water in Christchurch no longer needs to be boiled, authorities have announced, after tests revealed no bacterial contamination.

The Emergency Operations Centre this evening lifted its boil-water notice for Christchurch city, including Banks Peninsula. Restrictions were imposed after Saturday's 7.1 magnitude earthquake.

The relaxation of the restrictions followed three days of testing for the city's water, with more than 500 samples tested by city council and public health staff. The samples were all clear of bacterial contamination.

Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Alistair Humphrey said it was a "small step towards normality after such a difficult few days."

NZPA

The Queen has wished Cantabrians well following the earthquake, during a 20-minute phone call with Prime Minister John Key.

Key cancelled his trip to Europe, where he was to stay at Balmoral with the Queen, to show solidarity with those impacted by the Canterbury quake.

Key said he talked to the Queen for 15-20 minutes just after midnight last night.

"(She) wanted her sympathies passed to the people of Christchurch, she was totally understanding of the reason I wouldn't go," he said.

The Queen had expected as much after seeing news coverage of the earthquake.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace overnight the Queen sent her good wishes to those affected by and helping with the aftermath of Saturday's earthquake.

As well as spending the weekend with the Queen, Mr Key was to meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Prime Minister Francois Fillon.

Key sent a text message to his British counterpart to tell him he was not going to Europe.

He received a text message back from Mr Cameron who said he understood and looked forward to a later meeting.

Key spent last night and this morning in Canterbury.

The Black Seeds have postponed their Christchurch show scheduled for Saturday.

The decision to postpone was the band's only option, with the state of emergency extension in place for another seven days in the central CBD following Saturday's 7.1 quake.

With no guarantees of reliable power and water, plus the threat of further aftershocks, the band said it was unwise to go ahead.

A new date of October 30 has been set and will take place at the same venue - The Bedford - which has not been affected by the quakes and is structurally sound.

All tickets will be transferable to the new date, or anyone wanting a refund can contact the ticketing outlets.

Black Seeds frontman Barnaby Weir said the band's thoughts went out to the people of Canterbury.

"Our sincere apologies for having to postpone, but we're looking forward to coming back in October and playing for the people of Christchurch," he said.

All other shows on the band's South Island tour scheduled for this week in Dunedin, Queenstown and Timaru are still going ahead as planned.

Tickets for the new Christchurch show on October 30 will go on sale from Saturday.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra has announced a free concert in Christchurch next week as respite for quake-rattled residents.

The Soundscapes concert was already scheduled for next Thursday at the Christchurch Town Hall, but now entry will be free.

NZSO chief executive Peter Walls said it was the orchestra's way of showing support.

"Many among the orchestra have family and friends caught up in the devastating consequences of the earthquake."

Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said the concert would be a welcome respite.

"After the hardships of the last few days, I'm really pleased the NZSO is offering the people of Christchurch an opportunity to enjoy each other's company, and wonderful symphonic music."

People who want to attend can call Ticketek to reserve seats, or can try their luck on the night. Anyone who had already bought a ticket could get a voucher from the venue giving them free admission to a future concert.

The concert features Scottish percussion star Colin Currie and the NZSO performing Veni, Veni, Emmanuel by James Macmillan.

The NZSO will also perform works by Maurice Ravel and Richard Strauss, and the Four Seas Interludes from the Benjamin Britten opera Peter Grimes.

- NZPA and The Press

Christchurch City Council has warned property owners not to demolish heritage listed buildings without the express written authorisation of the council. See the city council advisories on this site for more information: http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/4096400/Earthquake-city-council-advisories

The Press

The last of Christchurch's inner-city cordons should be lifted at 5am tomorrow, Mayor Bob Parker has just announced.

There would still be some partial road closures for safety reasons but the Christchurch Mayor told a media briefing the majority of inner-city restricted access zones should go.

Meanwhile, he has confirmed offers of free air travel and accommodation have flooded in while companies and businesses nationwide have contributed millions of dollars to the city's earthquake relief fund.

Air New Zealand had offered 1000 free flights for Christchurch residents while Napier -- the last New Zealand city to endure a major earthquake -- has told Parker there is free accommodation available for Christchurch people.

Parker said he was grateful for the generous offers but he and others would have to sensibly work through how those offers are used.

"People everywhere are thinking of Christchurch. There is an immense feeling of goodwill,'' he said.

In other developments, Parker said every city house should have water by the end of the week. Council staff had repaired 280 water main leaks and faults.

But problems with wastewater in some badly affected suburbs would take longer to resolve.

In some places, wastewater systems had been "trashed'' and only existed "on a map.''

Parker praised the efforts of all staff and volunteers who put in an "incredible'' effort over the last five days.

His comments were echoed by Police Commissioner Howard Broad, who attended this afternoon's media briefing.

From a major calamity, the perception nationwide was that Christchurch had produced "an outstanding, seamless response.''

He was hugely proud of police staff from Christchurch and throughout the country who had responded to the needs of the city and region.

Superintendant Dave Cliff said the public had also responded with most reported crime down about one-third on normal figures.

"People are pulling together,'' he said.

Incidents that were down included burglaries and vehicle thefts but Cliff said there had been a rise in reported calls of family violence as stressed families struggle to get through what was a very hard time for many.

Police received 15 reports of domestic violence yesterday -- "a bit more than normal.''

"Be patient as you can be,'' he asked of the community.

He also warned tired residents to rest before considering driving.

Bad news.....my Aunt just died on the 8th:ohno:

Good news...my sister just got engaged on the 8th :):banana:

My mum is an emotional wreck :nuts: She's normally the strong one - I just think she's exhausted at the moment.

My brother and sister in law are sending their kids to Australia to stay with family for two weeks so they can sort things out and get a life back - I think they need a bit of time to themselves.

I'm not sure - I bet that's a question flyin would know the answer too.

I would have assumed that all building regs had the same earthquake building conditions on them......however, I may be wrong :dunno:

Sorry not too sure about the building code in both cities, i'd say that it would be the same, considering both areas are essentially in the same zone of seismic activity.

If any one needs a hand moving rubble or silt from their property, just private message me. I`ve got alot of people who are looking for some odd jobs that to do around the city (for free) to help the people of Christchurch. That goes for your property, or any property that you know of in Christchurch. We have predominately been moving silt and bricks, but can do any form of manual labour.

@ Davee so sorry to hear your bad news.

@ frew. Well done man. So many people offering to help others, really impressed with the army of uni students running around town at the moment.

You guys are just the best!

We have a fab SSC community.

Luka - thanks for the PM - all is well brother. Will PM you tomorrow.

I'm just going to get some kip now - knowing that you are all ok is a great relief. God bless and take care all in CHC and all of you who are in solidarity around NZ and the world.

D

Cathedral reopens today! Unfortunately the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrement (our most beautiful building imo) will remain closed for at least a year. :ohno:

Also, just a nice little snippet.... Anyone want some cheap clothes? In addition to the giveaway, everything in store is half price this Friday. Cheap publicity but still, Im going, need some new undies after the last few weeks events. :)

Hallensteins to give clothes away.

A Christchurch menswear store will be celebrating the ``brotherhood of Cantabrians'' by giving away thousands of dollars' worth of clothing.

At 7am on Friday September 24, Hallensteins in Cashel St will open their doors and give the first thousand customers a free hooded sweatshirt, t-shirt, a pair of cargo shorts and a pair of socks.

A store spokesperson said the freebies were worth $125,000 and urged ``all men to come down and show their support''.

``The `Brothers' concept comes from the heritage of the Hallensteins brand. Te label was founded in 1873 by one of the Hallensteins brothers, and after a weak trading period his brother came in to help him re-build the company. It has flourished ever since.''

The giveaway would run until stocks last on Friday only. All other customers on Friday September 24 at Cashel St store would receive a 50% discount.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch/4150620/Hallensteins-to-give-clothes-away

The people of Christchurch are great and it's good to see such wonderful folk helping each other at such a time of need. Keep on with the good work!!!! I was in CHC in 97 and fell in love with the place & it's people!!!!

Cheers fozzy, thanks for keeping an eye out for us!

We are all still tired, but the aftershocks have really quietened down now. I think yesterday we only got about 5, of which I felt none. Reality is though theres so much to do, while 'rebuilding a city' can give us all something to focus on there are still many people homeless, jobless because of this. Spare a thought for those in places like Avonside who still dont have water.

You are going to have to come back ok. Plenty of good stuff still standing.

I will be debt free in 5 yrs and will definately come back and visit. Hopefully the city will be back to its fantastic self by then!!!

^^ Mate, I give us a year and a bit and we'll be good as new!

If we're all still here in 2015 lemme know, Ill give you a tour. :cheers:

that would be great mate!!! Be good to get an insiders view of the city

St Johns of Hororata may be ok afterall.

PM went out there today to view the damage, met the vicar Jenny Carter. He seemed to make some noises about it being too important a building to lose.

Interred there is Sir John Hall (1824-1907), New Zealands 12th Prime Minister, served 1879-1882. Thats a good enough reason to save it for me.

Pleased about that :)
I lived in Hororata in 1969/70 as a little boy - my dad worked at the power station that was there at the time.
Hope it all returns to normal soon enough.

The Press

http://static2.stuff.co.nz/1287082709/354/4236354.jpg
DESTRUCTIVE FORCE: John Key addresses media at the quake-damaged Hororata church.

OPINION: In the wake of the earthquake, Christchurch has an opportunity to build liveable spaces and redesign the city on a human scale, with human values at the centre, writes PETER BECK.

In the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquake on September 4 it's tempting to ask, "Why did it happen to us?"

We can speculate about the answer, as the letters page of The Press has done in the last few weeks, and blame everything from Richard Dawkins to the prostitutes on Manchester St to the many bike shops in the city centre. Or we can plead the agnostic case, as a T-shirt I saw recently did. It was a take-off of the Tui beer ads - "No fault here? Yeah, right".

But there is a more productive question we can ask as we start to take stock and start the process of rebuilding. What will change because of the earthquake?

At the moment Christchurch looks like it has gone three rounds at the back of the bike sheds with the school bully. The central city is full of gaps where much-loved buildings used to be. Others are barely hanging on, held up with props and struts. In the worst hit suburbs and towns, the community has been hit hard. There are rows of abandoned houses with a few liveable dwellings scattered through them. Communities that have grown up bit by bit over the years have been devastated over night. It's easy to lament, or to ask the unproductive question, "Why us?"

In the early days after the quake we saw unparalleled community spirit as we reached out to one another. The leadership of Bob Parker has earned him a further three years as our mayor; the Civil Defence and emergency services were brilliant; the numbers of volunteers lining up to help was inspiring. Neighbours called in on one another to check if all was well and to offer support and meals to folk close by they had hardly ever spoken to. We took the time to stop and talk, and stop and talk again - amazing - a demonstration of the Canterbury spirit at its best. Can we hold on to this spirit as the days and months go by?

For now we move into the recovery phase. Inevitably things aren't going to go as smoothly as some would like. Some of our businesses have been wounded terminally and employers and employees are deeply anxious. Some are on the edge of ruin. Little businesses that have held our village communities together within this great city are on the edge of collapse. Property issues will be complicated for many. The infrastructure of our city is in a parlous state. There is much to be done.

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And we have the chance to rebuild the city, and to do it right. We get the chance to review what has worked and what has not in our planning of the past and to renew our heritage for future generations. We get to build liveable spaces, and redesign the city on a human scale, with human values at the centre. The role of urban planning, it seems to me, is to uphold and strengthen the character of particular places. So it's vital that communities here have a voice in the design, and it's not left to the powers that be in Wellington, who may not balance the vital economic needs with an holistic understanding of the human aspirations and well-being of this particular set of communities.

Our new council has a huge task of reconstruction. My hope and prayer is that the council will encourage community involvement in re-envisioning the future of our city. Our forebears envisioned the city that has grown up and developed in a way we have been truly proud of.

The heritage we hold dear to is not only in buildings, it is in the values and principles and the characteristics of the citizens.

Whether we like it or not, every design - from state house to skyscraper to suburban mall - expresses a view of what it means to be human; and it makes an ethical statement. Ethics sounds like a grand concept, but at the end of the day, it's human beings in conversation with each other about our common project - about where we're going, and how fast, and why we want to get there in the first place.

To be a human being is to be born into a particular space; to grow up in this house; to go to school through these streets or lanes; to play in this garden or park or alley; to shop at this market or that mall. This all forms the fabric of our everyday lives. The spaces we live and work and play in structure our memories and determine our attitudes.

Christian theology is concerned, in Paul Lehmann's phrase, with what it takes to make and to keep human life human. The things which dehumanise us are often the physical, material things - bodies and buildings and structures and institutions.

The role of the churches is to care for the soul of the city, but you can't do that without being concerned for its built environment, its bricks and mortar, its streets and suburbs and parks and land.

It is our job to stand for the values of community, to keep on pushing the local as the key to the global.

The city council and the central government in Wellington have big decisions to make on our behalf. They need to have big ears to listen and to test out ideas with the citizens. A consultative, inclusive process is the way forward. For the decisions that will be taken will shape our future for many generations.

In 100 years from now we want people to look back at what we have done to preserve and enhance our unique heritage and say "well done!"

The Very Reverend Peter Beck is the Anglican Dean of Christchurch.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Casa_Mil%C3%A0_-_Barcelona%2C_Spain_-_Jan_2007.jpg/640px-Casa_Mil%C3%A0_-_Barcelona%2C_Spain_-_Jan_2007.jpg

...just like Gaudi pushed the boundaries in Barcelona!

We need people with imagination and future vision to make CHC a city of the future as well as a city that celebrates its past.

Imagine new buildings that play on the Gothic and neo-gothic...... they could be neo-neo-gothic!

A large section in the Weekend Press is dedicated to how Newcastle's urban renewal and how Christchurch can avoid some of Newcastle's mistakes, from the earthquake they had in 1989 which killed 13 people.

Although they are starting to be demolished theres still many red stickered buildings around the cbd still (half) standing.

Lots of vacant lots scattered all over the place, ready for redevelopment.

Funny you should mention Newcastle metroman. I was there last year and it was apparent to me the cbd was dead. No idea what part the quake played in that.

Just makes it more apparent to me how important it is to get the rebuilding of the cbd here right. I think there needs to be a consolidation, for instance theres no point having countless new shopfronts stay vacant because people keep avoiding the cbd.

Damn, I got a lot of ideas but not the best time. Shouldnt have logged on...

More cars?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/christchurch-business/4270951/Call-to-downsize-Cathedral-Square

I cant get my head around it!

All my favourite restaurants cafes have either closed or relocated.

Winnie Bagoes got smashed up and has now reopened in the Vic and Whale. My Burgers place I know has moved elsewhere but Ive got to idea where.

And Jesus, I think its time the roads in the cbd got a proper fix up. So much subsidence, holes and cracks that where all hastily filled in. Now they just look nasty and third world, we need to get them sorted.

I cant get my head around it!

All my favourite restaurants cafes have either closed or relocated.

Winnie Bagoes got smashed up and has now reopened in the Vic and Whale. My Burgers place I know has moved elsewhere but Ive got to idea where.
And Jesus, I think its time the roads in the cbd got a proper fix up. So much subsidence, holes and cracks that where all hastily filled in. Now they just look nasty and third world, we need to get them sorted.

Burgers n Beers? They're operating out of Melbas nightclub, Cashel/Manchester. :cheers:

^^ Thats the one baby! Thanks for the update Cartel. Like I said, Im having trouble getting my head around the changes.

The Press

OPINION: Rivalry between Christchurch and Wellington is long- standing, whether it be arguments over the quality of the sportspeople from each centre or over the quality of the cities themselves. So some Christchurch residents might have felt miffed to read that travel guide publisher Lonely Planet had named Wellington as one of the four best cities to travel to in the world.

But a moment of reflection should moderate any civic outrage. Christchurch is arguably New Zealand's most pleasant city in which to live, especially for families. Yet Lonely Planet does have a point when it rates Wellington as a top global tourist destination.

The central quadrants of the capital have more vibrancy than those of Christchurch. Within a relatively short walking distance in Wellington are attractions such as Te Papa, the Westpac "Cake Tin" Stadium and Parliament, as well as the bustling entertainment venues of Courtenay Place and the redeveloped waterfront.

Central Wellington has retained its retail heart far more so than Christchurch, where too many suburban malls were allowed to develop. And Wellington also had the foresight to shift several of Victoria University's faculties right into the central city, with students providing a welcome contrast to the dark-suited bureaucrats of Lambton Quay.

Little wonder that Wellington is a popular destination in its own right for international tourists and domestic visitors, whereas Christchurch is more of a gateway city, providing the chance to pick up a campervan or a flight to Queenstown.

But Wellington's appeal did not develop by accident. It was the result of a sustained emphasis on the part of planners and civic leaders to revitalise what had once been a drab central city.

Now the same challenge faces Christchurch. The central city does have its share of tourist attractions, such as Canterbury Museum, the Arts Centre, the Christchurch Art Gallery and the trams. It also has its Oxford Terrace entertainment venues and attractions like the Ellerslie Flower Show and the International Buskers' Festival.

Yet apart from the annual events and the cultural attractions on the west side of the central city there is not the same energy and excitement that is found across much of inner Wellington. Those Christchurch residents hosting visitors often have to resort to driving their guests outside the central city, to Akaroa or Hanmer Springs.

For many years much has been written and spoken about the need for Christchurch to reinvigorate its central city precincts. This is essential if tourists are to be persuaded to spend more of their time, and their money, in Christchurch before heading elsewhere in the South Island.

It is also crucial to encouraging more residents to come into the inner city for their shopping and entertainment.

The earthquake damage in parts of the central business district must now be a catalyst for vigorous debate on the revitalisation process and this has already begun to occur. There has been discussion over the shape of Cathedral Square, the optimal size of the CBD, the future of heritage buildings and the right mix of retail and residential development.

And if this debate does lead to the creation of a busy and bustling central city, in future it could be Christchurch, rather than Wellington, that wins accolades from Lonely Planet.

The Press

OPINION: The central quadrants of the capital have more vibrancy than those of Christchurch. Within a relatively short walking distance in Wellington are attractions such as Te Papa, the Westpac "Cake Tin" Stadium and Parliament, as well as the bustling entertainment venues of Courtenay Place and the redeveloped waterfront.

Central Wellington has retained its retail heart far more so than Christchurch, where too many suburban malls were allowed to develop. Little wonder that Wellington is a popular destination in its own right for international tourists and domestic visitors, whereas Christchurch is more of a gateway city, providing the chance to pick up a campervan or a flight to Queenstown.

But Wellington's appeal did not develop by accident. It was the result of a sustained emphasis on the part of planners and civic leaders to revitalise what had once been a drab central city.

Now the same challenge faces Christchurch. The central city does have its share of tourist attractions, such as Canterbury Museum, the Arts Centre, the Christchurch Art Gallery and the trams. It also has its Oxford Terrace entertainment venues and attractions like the Ellerslie Flower Show and the International Buskers' Festival.

Yet apart from the annual events and the cultural attractions on the west side of the central city there is not the same energy and excitement that is found across much of inner Wellington. Those Christchurch residents hosting visitors often have to resort to driving their guests outside the central city, to Akaroa or Hanmer Springs.

For many years much has been written and spoken about the need for Christchurch to reinvigorate its central city precincts. This is essential if tourists are to be persuaded to spend more of their time, and their money, in Christchurch before heading elsewhere in the South Island.

It is also crucial to encouraging more residents to come into the inner city for their shopping and entertainment.

The earthquake damage in parts of the central business district must now be a catalyst for vigorous debate on the revitalisation process and this has already begun to occur. There has been discussion over the shape of Cathedral Square, the optimal size of the CBD, the future of heritage buildings and the right mix of retail and residential development..

Davee, reading the above reminded me of my home town , Liverpool.
Back in 2000 the city was faced with similar problems , change quake damage for vacant sites and worn out buildings. A private developer was appointed to work in partnership with the city, after public consultations the city went for banning a large Mall type development whilst retaining the street pattern.

Over 42 acres of the centre was rebuilt and now houses 160 shops,dept stores, over 20 bars and restaurants, 3 hotels, park and bus station & parking for 3,000 cars........


http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc242/woody43/liverpool%202010/siteplanWEB.jpg

When this £1billion was fully opened, it moved the city from 15th. to 5th in the shopping league table with over 25M visitors per annum.

Christchurch must do something similar, it has to retain the existing street layout, provide plenty of car parking and ban all new mall developments, whilst providing more shops and an improved public realm. The Quake ,tragic as it was, does give the city a golden opportunity to rebuild an exciting and dynamic CBD

The Press

A post-earthquake initiative to "green the rubble" will be launched in Christchurch tomorrow.

The Greening the Rubble project aims to revitalise the sites of demolished buildings. Temporary landscapes, including seating and native plants, will fill spaces as landowners prepare to redevelop their sites.

The project is part of Make- SHIFT, which finds temporary uses for empty sites across Christchurch. Rhys Taylor, of organiser Living Streets Aotearoa, said the group wanted to put "fun and entertainment and visual pleasure back into a rather battered central city".

"The aim is that these should be spaces people can use, rather than being fenced out," he said.

It was a team effort, with everyone from professional landscape designers to students involved.

Volunteers had enough energy and funding to run up to four sites and landowners could offer short or long-term access to their vacant sites.

The launch will be held on the former site of Asko Design and Carl Watkins Hairdressing in Victoria Street between 11am and 2pm tomorrow.

I have heard its very difficult to demolish the NZ express co BLDG it is taking a lot longer than planned. So it was built very well and not so likely to fall down by itself after all!

hmmmm - funny that.... i thought the engineers and the owner were all in absolute agreement that it could all just tumble at any time and had to be removed pronto..

hmmmm - funny that.... i thought the engineers and the owner were all in absolute agreement that it could all just tumble at any time and had to be removed pronto..

Better safe than sorry I suppose ...

I see from the news the building have been on fire!

I have heard its very difficult to demolish the NZ express co BLDG it is taking a lot longer than planned. So it was built very well and not so likely to fall down by itself after all!

God I hope not. So sad if that's the case.

Also i must say, so surprised this is taking so long. Really feel sorry for the business owners around there. This part of town is going to take so long to recover.

They are now saying the earthquake is the 3rd most expensive quake in the world an is more costly than the San Francisco one!

The Press

Like any true-born Glaswegian, James Lunday doesn't mince words when it comes to Christchurch's future.

The architect, planner and urban designer knows this city well after working closely with the city's former mayor, Garry Moore, on several major projects, including Beckenham and Hornby housing schemes.

He launched his own company, Common Ground, here in 1992 to head the creation of Pegasus Bay in North Canterbury. Since this foundation project, Common Ground Studio ("urban design and master planning specialists") and its founder have continued to work in a variety of international urban design, planning and community development projects.

Lunday retains strong emotional and professional ties with Christchurch - and he's concerned about its future.

"When I look at Christchurch today, it's not a decaying city - it's a city which has never been built to its full potential. It was still- born. There are magnificent buildings at its core but when you look at the four avenues the standard declines. It hasn't gone from industrial to post-industrial. It's gone to warehouse. Low value, low cost warehouses.

"The September 4 earthquake gave an opportunity to debate what Christchurch will be like in the future; how will people make a living and live here; how the city will make its place in the world to become a great city?" he tells you with the certainty of a man for whom the world is his drawing board.

"Or is it comfortable to simply remain as it is? A big country town. That has a certain charm but you don't want to simply replicate other cities' mistakes. Christchurch needs to do things its own way but what I haven't seen is the opportunity for really constructive public debate about what Christchurch and Canterbury wants. That's possibly because it's still in the rebuilding mode but the situation existed before the earthquake and nothing was done about that.

"Timid? I prefer the word complacent," says Lunday.

He has returned to a Christchurch that's battered and scarred not merely by natural disaster but by an economic recession which never quite disappeared.

He has also stepped unswervingly into the contentious debate about the future of the central city and its role as an urban economic engine room.

At the core of his argument is a simple equation: Urban design exists for people rather than the other way around.

"The September 4 earthquake was obviously a fundamental event - a watershed, a turning point - for Christchurch. That's a cliche only if it's used as such. The danger now is that it all slips back into 'business as usual' mode where things are simply patched up and life - and attitudes - continue unchanged.

"Glasgow in the 1960s still contained vacant sites from the 1943 bombing. The same thing could happen in Christchurch, except that the spaces will be filled with cars."

Seen through Lunday's eyes, Christchurch now has an opportunity to become a city state, maximising the huge resources of the Canterbury Plains, the intellectual grunt which comes from two universities, and the ability to add value to products.

But that requires a major shift in how Cantabrians see themselves.

"Glasgow's transformation started with a simple vision, rather than a detailed plan, which envisaged a series of precincts, 20 activity zones along the River Clyde. Glaswegians . . . were encouraged to celebrate what it meant to be a Glaswegian and what and how they could contribute to the world.

"If you want to transform Christchurch, you must firstly transform its citizens. You do that by celebrating its culture, not knocking it. Building on its arts and culture is the easiest - and cheapest - thing to do."

The central authorities must play a central role in developing this brave new future.

"We have a capital crisis in New Zealand. Developers can't get capital. The city council has a huge equity base and the ability to raise capital. It needs to get mechanisms to involve the private sector. Marry that with the stability of its economic base through the growth of a joint venture. You've already done this successfully through the Christchurch City Holdings but there's now an opportunity to do it on a larger scale. Why not raise capital through your own citizens through some form of city bonds, a city development bank? Without this tool you won't see development."

Lunday says the central city poses major issues.

"I'm not too worried about shopping malls. CBDs can compete with these. The ability to put commercial activities into industrial areas is more damaging, especially when quasi shopping malls cannibalise larger department stores.

"It needs to return to the time when the CBD was a place to be seen, to come for the best shopping and where you come for culture. Let's face it, there's no culture in big box developments or the suburbs. There are already snippets in the lanes which have developed here."

The Lunday solution?

Shrink the CBD into a smaller entity and start to create an inner city. Reduce the ability of the car to move quickly and easily through the inner city. Create a tight commercial core surrounded by a liveable, high density residential area.

"I'd plan for a city of one million and consider where people would live and work and enjoy the city. Create a major marketing campaign. Create more cultural centres to promote the arts. Get the national ballet, national orchestra to Christchurch. This can be a festival city. All it needs is a belief in yourself."

Thanks Davee that is exactly the article I was alluding to earlier. Christchurch does need to be planning for a city of 1 million, many politicians are simply missing the boat on this. That is a great article and has a lot of what Bob has been alluding to in it as well. On the forum Betterpublictransport.co.nz there is a lot of information about how commuter rail could be set up. Amazingly it was once a major part of Canterbury's infrastructure and was reasonably viable in a time when the population was only a fraction of what it is now. The figures project an urban population of 700,000 in the next thirty years, albeit these are conservative figures as well. I also heard that Bob was interested in extending the tram to the university, haven't seen the article, it sounds interesting.

http://static2.stuff.co.nz/1294647331/973/4526973.jpg

More than 200 walls had to be repainted and replastered, 11 chimneys repaired and 15 fireplaces restored, but the 115-year-old Otahuna Lodge reopened yesterday.

The heritage building near Tai Tapu was closed for more than four months after damage caused by the September 4 earthquake. More than 40 tradesmen, engineers and architects have worked on the building to repair roofs, complete seismic strengthening and recreate Otahuna's 11 chimneys. Insurance covered the repair costs.

Managing director Hall Cannon said the goal was to recreate the original architecture of the building.

He said February could be a record month for bookings.

^^I would say Christchurch would be more like 550,000 in 2040 if the current growth rate of just 1% is maintained, it will take a lot longer than 30 years to reach 700,000.

OPINION: Christchurch architect PETER BEAVEN makes a call for action on the city centre.

The troubles of Christchurch's central city were real before the earthquakes. Now the central city is so stressed that the situation calls for immediate and much wider community, professional and city council combined leadership and action.

The issues are much too big for any one group to manage.

We desperately need now an overall comprehensive view of the central city shared by everyone, certainly not another or new City Plan.

This comprehensive view, in my opinion, must grapple with the real problems of declining economic strength, and the need for many more people to live in the central city and fill the open spaces.

Thankfully, we still have enough heritage quality, good streetscape and splendid open spaces to make the central city a rich, varied and culturally diverse precinct. With so many damaged buildings, this is under real threat.

If we had a comprehensive plan to build a vibrant, diverse and cultured inner city, we would all find the enthusiasm to rebuild the city.

This new city centre would be completely different to the often boring, very repetitious suburban malls. This is what we need - a City Centre in complete contrast to Suburbia.

The immediate objectives of the comprehensive plan:

(1) Many more people in the city centre.

(2) To provide the widest range of services to this new population.

(3) More small, modest rent spaces for small businesses.

(4) City aesthetics: (a) Heritage to take in streetscape, and (b) a new building design guide.

(5) To eliminate one-way streets.

(6) To alter the City Plan which currently allows maximum development everywhere in the city centre. Land, of course, stays empty waiting for that to happen. Land values stay much too high, and prevent more diverse development.

It is council policy that more people live in the inner city. Real estate agents who work in the inner city say there are a great number of people, particularly young couples with diverse skills, many retired people, and some short-term young families who really want to live in the city centre.

The simplest way to achieve more people in the inner city is to occupy empty old buildings and replace open car parks with apartments.

These apartments should really be mixed use spaces capable of adaption to housing, working at home, or small offices.

They don't need to be more than three storeys with big roof lofts - this suits the Christchurch skyline. They can be in self- contained blocks either facing existing streets or onto new mews, and little squares.

We know that the overall cost of a dwelling unit in existing city centres is much less than new housing in outer suburbia, and that more people in the streets make safer inner cities. These are just two of the numerous advantages of higher density.

South City and Moorhouse Ave have perfectly adequate supermarkets. What is needed is help for small scattered outlets, boutiques, opportunities for independent businesses with modest incomes. Timaru has such a rule for its Stafford St, and it works.

The new apartment blocks would be multi-use, so small businesses, community services and non-government organisations can occupy them.

It is obvious that modern architecture simply cannot create the visual delight of Victorian streets. This is, of course, one of the delights of older inner cities, and absolutely impossible with the repetitious modern suburban malls.

We need to look at heritage not just as separate listed buildings but as heritage streetscape. Surely our best Victorian heritage from now on must be absolutely sacrosanct; we have so little left. All really successful heritage cities have streetscape design guides. One would be really helpful.

The next and last issue which we have all talked about for years is the madness of allowing one- way traffic raceways through the inner city. Ours is a radial city; the quickest way across it is through the centre, and this is what everyone does.

All traditional cities limit the use of cars in their heritage central areas. They know from long experience that pedestrians add much more richness and economic vitality than cars. Now is the perfect time to seize the opportunity, and make the one- way streets two-way, and limit inner city traffic with a 30km speed limit. The shuttle bus is a success. We need more shuttle buses complementing the tram routes.

All these issues have been discussed in one form or another for years. Much is already perfectly well known. The city council has thankfully set the scene for wider debate with the new special committees.

I believe that the three groups which, in all heritage cities, have an equal voice must come together with one voice:

(1) Community groups of all kinds.

(2) All professionals concerned with the built environment.

(3) The city council.

If this could happen a successful heritage city full of people and economic life would be inevitable.

The best first move would be for all the interested parties to nominate representatives to meet and find common paths. We don't need any new City Plan. Instead we must build on the excellence we were given.

- The Press

NICOLE MATHEWSON - The Press

A giant brick art mural was unveiled in Christchurch this morning as part of a post-earthquake "greening the rubble'' project.

The 25 square metre mural was revealed today on the former premises of Asko Design and Carl Watkins (Mod's) Hairdressing, left vacant after the September 4 earthquake.

The Crusaders rugby team lent a hand to turn the site into a temporary public park as part of the 'Greening the Rubble' initiative, while the brick art was installed to help raise funds for the Child Cancer Foundation (CCF).

Austral Bricks national manager Cindy Driscoll said it was the first time a brick art mural has been constructed outside of Australia.

''It's a massive undertaking for us to do it. There's lots of work involved.''

Three weeks were spent on getting the design just right, while four bricklayers spent four days on putting the pieces together, she said.

Christchurch mayor Bob Parker called the work a ''wall of hope'' for Canterbury.

CCF funding and development manager Clare Wilkinson said the foundation needed to raise '' after earthquake damage required them to move out of their family building.

''Everybody who's involved is just doing an amazing thing for us. It's just fantastic.''

The family place is a ''safe haven'' for child cancer patients and their families as they go through treatment.

The home has relocated to temporary premises while the fate of the building is determined, Wilkinson said.

BEN HEATHER

A Canterbury Development Corporation study predicts jobs created by the residential rebuild will exceed the region's workforce by about 13,000 jobs.

That figure would peak at about 14,500 next year before dropping to about 13,000 in 2013, and continuing to fall as recovery work dwindled.

The study assumes there will be a three-year recovery period. However, the positive impact would drop by thousands of jobs if rebuilding was slower.

Corporation workforce strategy manager Simon Worthington said the earthquake recovery could easily absorb the 5500 Cantabrians on the unemployment benefit.

"There won't be unemployment when this work comes online," he said. "If you're unemployed, you'll need a pretty bloody good reason."

Most new jobs would be in construction but would include anything from accountants to shop assistants as spending flowed into the rest of the economy, he said.

Some specialised jobs would require recruitment outside Canterbury, but many local people could be trained to fill the gaps, he said.

However, in some roles, such as painting and carpentry, there was likely to be a skills shortage, which could slow the recovery.

Worthington said the employment surge should begin in the next two months and building contractors needed to be ready to increase capacity.

UBS senior economist Robin Clements said the figures were credible and would represent a 3.8 per cent increase in the regional job market.

It remained to be seen how many jobs could be provided locally and how many would go to skilled workers from outside Canterbury.

It could also be difficult to fill some skilled roles, particularly with the lure of flood recovery work in Australia, he said.

"If we need 13,000 and we can only get 6000, then we are going to have some bottlenecks."

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said the job influx was a great opportunity to improve the city's skills base. Talks had begun with Christchurch tertiary education providers regarding courses teaching construction skills.

Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce chief executive Peter Townsend said the job surge would shift the regional economy.

The boom had the ability to soak up unemployment but would also pull people out of some industries, such as retail, into construction. "I think there is a lot of capacity in our local economy to resource those jobs."

The recovery would not lead to zero unemployment, but could push it as low as 3 per cent, he said.

Mainzeal construction manager Graeme Earl agreed there would be an increase in employment, but said it would be difficult to sustain. "The biggest issue is making sure it doesn't drop down to unsustainable levels again," he said.

Despite predictions of job growth, the most recent employment figures show increasing unemployment in Christchurch. In the last quarter of 2010, unemployment rose 1.6 percentage points to an unadjusted 6.7 per cent, from 5.1 per cent in the previous quarter.

Worthington said those figures did not reflect feedback he had from employers.

- The Press

The temporary park thats sprung up opposite my old home on Victoria Street looks great. Really in keeping with that area and a million times better than the stock standard car parks that are replacing demolished buildings all over the city.

City leaders mark earthquake rebuild - GLENN CONWAY - The Press.

http://static2.stuff.co.nz/1297384460/686/4646686.jpg

Earthquake Minister Gery Brownlee and Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker take turns manhandling a jackhammer at the start of the infrastructure rebuild of Christchurch this morning.

The $500 million rebuild of Christchurch's infrastructure was officially launched this morning.

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker took turns handling a jackhammer on Burwood's Kingsford St to signal the start of repairs to the city's water, sewerage and other damaged infrastructure.

Parker said the job of repairing and replacing damaged services was a massive one, but he and Brownlee both said the resilience and character of Canterbury residents meant those challenges would be met.

More than 200 people attended a ceremony at Burwood Park to launch the start of the infrastructure rebuild.

The event included a blessing and breakfast for invited guests, which included key contractors and their staff who will get their hands dirty making the repairs over the coming months.

Recovery on agenda fortnightly

The Christchurch City Council will hold fortnightly meetings on earthquake recovery instead of creating a committee.

Councillor Tim Carter yesterday called for a new committee to tackle what he said was the most important issue facing the city.

But after a lengthy debate at yesterday's council meeting, Carter agreed to a compromise that means the council will meet fortnightly to discuss earthquake matters.

Carter said the recovery had to be the council's highest priority, yet it had no committee directly handling those issues. Other councillors believed the full council was better placed to make earthquake-related decisions quicker.

Carter agreed to suggestions from Mayor Bob Parker and council chief executive Tony Marryatt that special regular council meetings would serve the same purpose as a committee. These were unanimously supported.

Yay! An uninspired 2 level replacement for the old Westende Jewellers site on Manchester street. I thought this was supposed to be regulated?
Great addition to the CBD, suppose beggars cannot be choosers... :bash:

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6485/picture9t.png

^^Maybe they can't afford a qualified architect.

If you don't like that, you're going to hate the replacement for Manchester Courts - I believe its going to be 4, maybe 5 levels tops, also sounds like it may be designed by the insurance companies...

If you don't like that, you're going to hate the replacement for Manchester Courts - I believe its going to be 4, maybe 5 levels tops, also sounds like it may be designed by the insurance companies...

haha, oh dear, any renders?

The first search of the devastated tower of Christ Church Cathedral has revealed no sign of life beneath the rubble – but mayor Bob Parker has vowed it will be rebuilt.

Yesterday, rescue workers lowered a search camera into the destroyed tower but found "no sound, nothing" of the 22 people believed to be missing there.

The Cathedral's Dean, the Very Rev Peter Beck, said it was simply impossible to know how many people were inside the tower when the quake struck.

Mr Parker said the cathedral would stand again.

"There is some discussion that that is a building we could rebuild brick by brick, stone by stone. We need to find some symbols like that. The scale of what has happened here means we will have to take some bold steps."

Emergency services were working "carefully and methodically" to remove loose masonry piece by piece.

Yesterday, cameras were lowered into the stone-filled tower of the cathedral by workers suspended above the devastation by a crane.

Emergency worker Ian Oliver said the men were focused on slowly clearing away the unstable stones.

"They're knocking the top of the bricks off and making it safe for the guys to go in. We put a camera in before but there was nothing. No sound, nothing."

Another worker on the site said those inside the building had "no chance".

"I mean, look at the amount of bricks in there. A small brick can kill you – that is a landslide."

Dean Beck said he was feeling the damage to the church in "a very deep way".

"At some point I'm going to need to cry but I'm just too busy to do that at the moment.

"I'm deeply aware how significant the cathedral is for Christchurch. So many people see it as a symbol of our city and how broken it is at the moment."

When the quake hit he was sitting in his office and did not realise how devastated the building was till later.

"I walked through this thick fog of dust. I had no idea of the damage till I looked up and saw the sky where the roof should be."

The tower – where the dead are believed to be – must have "imploded".

"We simply don't know how many people were in there. I know there were people in the tower. There is no doubt there are some dead in there."

He knew the cathedral was badly damaged and would probably have to be demolished.

If you don't like that, you're going to hate the replacement for Manchester Courts - I believe its going to be 4, maybe 5 levels tops, also sounds like it may be designed by the insurance companies...

Sounds very much like Insurance companies dictating how Christchurch will be rebuilt.From 1920's-30's red-bricks & mortar,to an architectural standard not uncommon in Uncle Scrooge mentality.

Question is: Does the above development meet and exceed earthquake standards common-place in Japan?.

also sounds like it may be designed by the insurance companies...

Or maybe just a typical NZ architecture firm?

Look at all of the threads covering new developments in the major centers. Low rise, square box, glass overload. It's all the same. Very little imagination in our developers and our architects. And its the same name featuring on major developments.

If I was a major developer in NZ, I would refuse to allow these firms to enter any design competition. They have bored us long enough.

Do you think that now that most of the city will have to be rebuilt from scratch there could be some proposal about establishing a tram network?

They've been trying to get a tram network for a while now, just the September and now the Feb quakes have just taken priority..

Do you guys think this quake has diminished any chance of Christchurch getting future high rise buildings?
I don't think people would be too keen on having new buildings any higher than a few floors.

Maybe Christchurch needs to get earthquake-resistant buildings like in Los Angeles and Mexico City. No current building in Christchurch is earthquake-resistant. :bash:

Said this in other eathquake thread, City wants rebuilding else where
its directly on fault line and any rebuild is "bonkers".

Do you guys think this quake has diminished any chance of Christchurch getting future high rise buildings?
I don't think people would be too keen on having new buildings any higher than a few floors.

It wont stop us getting high rises I don't think. WE just need them stronger

Said this in other eathquake thread, City wants rebuilding else where
its directly on fault line and any rebuild is "bonkers".

You're "bonkers" they're not going to shift an entire city somewhere else.

Is it true that the Palms shopping centre is totally wrecked and will take up to a year to fix? I don't know how the city will rebuild, I wouldn't be surprised if a secondary cbd is built on the outskirts, not unlike Manukau.

Maybe Christchurch needs to get earthquake-resistant buildings like in Los Angeles and Mexico City. No current building in Christchurch is earthquake-resistant. :bash:
New Zealand quake raises questions about L.A. buildings (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-quake-california-20110226,0,1231448.story)

New Zealand shows even strong building codes are no match for monster earthquake, experts say (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/02/new-zealand-shows-even-strong-building-codes-no-match-for-monster-earthquake-experts-say.html)

The devastation and loss of life in the Christchurch, New Zealand, quakes offer some sober lessons for California, earthquake experts said.....


.....Also, the highest ground acceleration recorded was greater than 2G, or twice the acceleration of gravity –- which would make Tuesday’s quake among the most powerful in terms of ground-shaking acceleration on record, said Hough. It was strong enough to throw objects in the air.

“There’s only a handful of records of shaking” as strong as 2G, Hough said.....


.....“In this case, I strongly suspect the accelerations just exceeded the design values,” Hough said. As recently as the 1980s, seismologists had believed that earthquakes couldn’t generally produce ground accelerations greater than about 0.5G. But scientists began understanding that ground accelerations could be much stronger after reviewing new data from newly constructed earthquake monitoring stations.

Hough said Tuesday’s quake offers a lesson in humility to California, showing what can happen when a quake is centered so close to the city center and populated by dense structures, some relatively new, and some historic.....


.....“Our instinct is that this exceeded the loads that even the modern buildings were designed for. We are almost certain,” said Ingham. “The assumption is that an earthquake of this size would have caused damage in any modern city anywhere.”

^^Earthquakes causing major-league damage to a major city are damnable.

Is it true that the Palms shopping centre is totally wrecked and will take up to a year to fix? I don't know how the city will rebuild, I wouldn't be surprised if a secondary cbd is built on the outskirts, not unlike Manukau.

It's fucked heaaaps. Not sue about rebuild though. Best mate works at Bakers Delight there and her boss told her to start looking for another job..

The Press

A new Christchurch will rise from the rubble of the earthquake, with the Government talking about a temporary CBD and imported housing.

The Cabinet meets today to consider plans, including having the rest of the country help shoulder the cost.

Prime Minister John Key has ordered advice from Treasury on the feasibility of a quake levy, but was concerned it would dampen economic activity.

Treasury is also urgently compiling an indication of the likely cost of both quakes – which Mr Key said would probably be higher than the $14 billion floated so far.

The massive cost of rebuilding infrastructure is likely to be picked up by all taxpayers regardless. Mr Key said it was not "feasible or practical" for Christchurch ratepayers to shoulder 50 per cent of the cost as normal.

As many as 500 CBD buildings may be demolished, but rebuilding will not start till aftershocks stop.

Former mayor Garry Moore said Christchurch had an opportunity to build an "environmentally sound, fantastically state-of-the-art, 21st-century place that will attract the brains and the thinkers of the world. We lost a lot of our beauty and that has to be rebuilt, in a modern way."

As the city looks to its rebirth, a lucky few are celebrating the arrival of precious new life that the earthquake helped hasten.

On Tuesday morning, a midwife told Jo Blackman her baby's birth was days away. But the contractions began not long after the quake hit at 12.51pm.

Daughter Alyssa was born in Christchurch Women's Hospital at 7.30pm, one of 65 born since the quake. "It was just good to have a healthy baby girl born into the world when so many others were experiencing suffering and loss," Mrs Blackman said.

The mother of two, 34, wanted any rebuilding of the city to preserve some of its heritage, but the priority was to be safe for children to grow up in.

Yesterday, Mr Key launched the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal, a global fundraiser for the recovery effort.

Today he will announce an emergency business recovery package worth hundreds of millions of dollars – even bigger than the September 4 aid package.

That package paid a $350 wage subsidy to workers in small businesses hit by the quake. Today's is expected to include all but the biggest national and multinational companies.

Mr Key said the package was temporary, to tide people over for the first month, while the Government grappled with what else needed to be done.

It is also likely to establish a recovery authority this week and set in motion the beefing up of law changes passed for the first quake.

Exploratory talks are also underway over rehousing as many businesses as possible. Mobile office buildings, railway goods yards and even AMI Stadium are being floated as emergency venues.

More than 52,000 people worked in the CBD – but Mr Key said the area would be off-limits for weeks, perhaps months.

Asked if the Government would need to use its powers under the national state of emergency to requisition land or buildings, he said it had not looked at that issue.

About 10,000 people were expected to need temporary accommodation and the Government was looking at "all sorts of alternatives".

Housing Minister Phil Heatley is expected to make an announcement on temporary modular housing this week and the Government has been looking at placing them on partly developed subdivisions around Christchurch.

Mr Key acknowledged the country's books would take a hit – with a drop in tax revenue from Christchurch and the cost of the recovery and rebuilding package affecting the May Budget – but the Government could afford it.

He expected a "significant increase" in the Earthquake Commission levy.

The scale of the devastation would also probably mean repriortising other infrastructure projects around the country.

FIRST ON THE TO-DO LIST

Prime Minister John Key's top five priorities:

1. Search and rescue – he is still holding out hope that people will be rescued. "Internationally we know miracles do happen."

2. Restoring core infrastructure – sewerage, power and water.

3. Support – Supporting those whose economic lifeline has been severed.

4. Safety – Demolishing and removing dangerous structures.

5. Trauma – Providing social support services and trauma counselling in a city badly affected by six months of aftershocks.

"The result of an earthquake that is going to have a significant death toll ... will severely undermine Cantabrians.

Cristchurch needs to construct new buildings that incorporate technology to resist an earthquake of up to 9 on the Richter Scale, if they do not want another tragic event like this to occur again.

Found this on a blog. Wouldn't this be amazing?

A symbol of hope and transformation?

http://eyeofthefish.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/ChaliceChurchs.jpg

No, I'm sorry, just no! completely wacko!

I would say build it roughly like the original, except make all of the roof copper, and just have stone cladding on a steel or reinforced concrete structure. also maybe make the viewing platform further up and without those ugly cages (glass maybe) so that you can take decent panorama photos.

as for the CBD rebuild, a 100m+ possibly?

Found this on a blog. Wouldn't this be amazing?

A symbol of hope and transformation?

http://eyeofthefish.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/ChaliceChurchs.jpg

Hell no, it just looks stupid. Rebuild it to what it looked like before the quake, and while we are at it do the same to the Catholic Cathedral as well.

I just crunched a few numbers... It looks like the rebuilding of Christchurch may be as much as 10% of New Zealand's GDP if the damage estimates are correct (on top of the previous quake too).

To put this into perspective, the Kobe earthquake in Japan in 1995 that killed 6,500 people cost only 2.5% of Japan's GDP and it set them back in a big way.

Staggering numbers. I wonder how NZ will manage to fund it...

I just crunched a few numbers... It looks like the rebuilding of Christchurch may be as much as 10% of New Zealand's GDP if the damage estimates are correct (on top of the previous quake too).

To put this into perspective, the Kobe earthquake in Japan in 1995 that killed 6,500 people cost only 2.5% of Japan's GDP and it set them back in a big way.

Staggering numbers. I wonder how NZ will manage to fund it...

^^
Somehow - we just have to..it may well have to be some kind of national tax

The Catherdral must be a priority - It has to be built as close to the original as possible from a visual aspect....obviously to a new earthquake code.
This building is iconic to all of us and will be a real symbol of triumph over adversity

The problem is a national tax will cause further drag on the economy, making it even harder to pay for the quake damage.

If too many major road, rail and public transport projects are put on hold to pay for the rebuild, that will have a similar effect.

Remember too that it is also election year, and voters could backlash against the Government if the cuts are too deep.

The country really is in quite a pickle.

The Press

No more people will die trying to save Christchurch's historic buildings, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

Modern structures, with the exception of the 1972 CTV and 1963 Pyne Gould buildings, had stood up well during the shaky last five months; many older buildings had collapsed and claimed lives.

Renovation workers inside some of the damaged older buildings were killed during the 6.3 aftershock last week, Mr Brownlee said.

"Quite frankly people have died in this last earthquake trying to save old buildings. We're not going to do that any more. My absolutely strong position is that the old dungas, no matter what their connection, are going under the hammer."

The local council refused consent to allow some old buildings damaged in the first quake to be destroyed, but Mr Brownlee said it would not have a say this time.

"The previous method of doing things hasn't served us well, and we're not going to work with that any more.

"Old stuff, if it's got any damage at all, needs to be got down and got out, because it's dangerous and we don't need it."

Some buildings would be rebuilt to replicate the older structures and would officially be new buildings. Others would be replaced with a completely new style; that was up to the people of Christchurch, Mr Brownlee said. He did not see an immediate need to change building and earthquake codes.

He hoped to have a certain idea of what shape the central city would take within 12 months. Rebuilding should also be well under way in the suburbs by then.

"What we have an opportunity to do is determine the heritage for future generations and it should be a combination of the best practice today and getting some styles that become iconic in the future."

Historic Places Trust chief executive Bruce Chapman agreed many older buildings may be too dangerous to save. Others were repairable.

Engineers were beginning to assess central city buildings from the outside. "The indications at this point are that many of those iconic buildings are indeed repairable, including the cathedral, which is good news but that's going to take some time and there may actually be some deconstruction required first."

There was a risk of a rush to demolish old buildings, particularly in residential areas, Mr Chapman said. The Christchurch Heritage Buildings Fund was available to building owners who needed financial assistance to restore their property.

"There are some tough calls to be made there and we wouldn't want to put buildings before people, that's for sure."

The current earthquake code applied retrospectively to all buildings, and the heritage buildings with strengthening fared better than some modern buildings, Mr Chapman said.

"Where it's practicable we would really like to see those buildings carry on, particularly the iconic buildings ... that history, now, is going to be associated with survival."

But there was also an opportunity to create new history, such as was done with the art deco buildings in Napier after the 1931 quake.

The Press

No more people will die trying to save Christchurch's historic buildings, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says.....


".....My absolutely strong position is that the old dungas, no matter what their connection, are going under the hammer....."


".....Old stuff, if it's got any damage at all, needs to be got down and got out, because it's dangerous and we don't need it....."
Get this oaf out.

Note the suggestion from the MD of Colliers - a new CBD on Hagley Park, encompassing greenery and low rise commercial buildings, and a new park to be established where the crumbled CBD is now....

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/temporary-cbd-idea-gains-momentum-4042715

'Get this oaf out.'

Incorrect.

Brownlee is right - old buildings kill people. Period.
[As do poorly built modern buildings.]

To make them totally quake proof would make them non-original and would it would just be promoting ‘facadism’.

Yes - I like old historic buildings but lives come before buildings.

Chris

Note the suggestion from the MD of Colliers - a new CBD on Hagley Park, encompassing greenery and low rise commercial buildings, and a new park to be established where the crumbled CBD is now...

The last thing we want to be doing at this current point in time is taking redevelopment advice from real estate agents...

'Get this oaf out.'

Incorrect.
Gerry Brownlee a divisive loudmouth. He's taken people who's greatest fear is more deaths, and people who's greatest fear is big-headed bulls in the china shop tearing down more of their city than is necessary, and pit them against each other. It hurts me to see people fighting like that (they are in the comments of news articles). Everybody wants the correct decisions made, there is no real societal split, but his tactless and antagonistic barbs for anyone fearful of his leadership serves to make one (I'm talking more than just the above article).

Every time he runs his mouth on the subject he sounds as if he's waging a war against old buildings in order to avenge the dead. It's worrisome.

I'm largely apolitical, but he's fucking me off and scaring me. I don't trust him as far as I could throw him. I want him out.

(I'm unfazed if I'm in the minority too - I don't need backup to be secure in my opinions.)


To make them totally quake proof would make them non-original and would it would just be promoting ‘facadism’.
I'll take facadism over entirely new different buildings. The box behind the face doesn't matter to me.

I think Christchurch needs an iconic tower. something that people will see and will instantly recognise as Christchurch, New Zealand. the Cathedral is iconic, but it no longer stands out in the skyline (before the spire collapsed).
personally, I think the Grand Chancellor was a good building, definitely the best of that height. It will almost definitely have to be torn down unfortunately, but I think that something similar should be built in its place, except a bit higher, and with a bit more modern materials. it has to be the tan colour, with a dark tapering roof though.
just my thoughts.

it does sound as if some people want a very low CBD with 5 and 6 story buildings, which kind of sucks. doesn't make sense to me regarding earthquake risks, look at Tokyo and Taipei.

big-headed bulls in the china shop


Yup.

I can appreciate that he is prioritising people over buildings, and being decisive - all good things for Chch - but Gerry Brownlee is such an arrogant, ignorant tosser coming out with stuff like this. It's worrying.

I just crunched a few numbers... It looks like the rebuilding of Christchurch may be as much as 10% of New Zealand's GDP if the damage estimates are correct (on top of the previous quake too).

To put this into perspective, the Kobe earthquake in Japan in 1995 that killed 6,500 people cost only 2.5% of Japan's GDP and it set them back in a big way.

Staggering numbers. I wonder how NZ will manage to fund it...

Yes, but there is one huge difference, and that is Insurance,

It was estimated that only 3% of buildings in Kobe had Earthquake insurance.

NZ is very well insured with EQC and privately ( + reinsurance)

This Gerry Brownlee guy sounds a bit too extreme. Sure, the buildings killed some people, but there's a way of dealing with things. He's just going around condemning everything and being a nay-sayer.

Everything in Chch should not exceed 1 storey...according to him.

Agreed^

Let the council experts do their thing.

'Get this oaf out.'

Incorrect.

Brownlee is right - old buildings kill people. Period.
[As do poorly built modern buildings.]

To make them totally quake proof would make them non-original and would it would just be promoting ‘facadism’.

Yes - I like old historic buildings but lives come before buildings.

Chris

Frankly I think that should be up to Christchurch, not the national government, but I do agree with his sentiment though am no expert. Reconstructing facades and features in a more durable fashion would be the way to go I think.

Interesting to note though most of the deaths were in two modern buildings.

it does sound as if some people want a very low CBD with 5 and 6 story buildings, which kind of sucks. doesn't make sense to me regarding earthquake risks, look at Tokyo and Taipei.

I think it's a psychological factor that being closer to the ground is perceived to be safer. I'm not convinced that you are actually safer though.

I see that the rumour mill has started. Two nasty ones:
1. The owners of the CTV building are to be prosecuted because they failed to remedy large cracks in the building from the previous quake.
2. It will take 9 months to a year before the CBD is inhabitable again.

Good to see the Mayor dismissing these rumours, earlier this afternoon. I wish people would just keep their mouths shut rather than spewing forth this type of crap - it just makes the situation worse.

Im just following everyones comments, and some of you make very good points.

It does worry me that Christchurch will rebuild slowly, and in lowrise nasty box shaped buildings like the one posted a page back.

Christchurch will have to take a long hard look at other cities that have been devistated by earthquakes, and learn from them.

It is extremely vital it reacts quickly. The last thing we need is for bussineses to abandon the CBD.

The other thing Christchurch will need to do is future proof the style of buildings that get built. It cant be a style that will look like it will date badly in 15 years time (thank god this earthquake didn't occure in the 1970's).

Style will be of huge importance, but it cant be bland, it has to be a "style", and modern architecture has a bad reputation of being boring.

The council should look at employing reputible well known architects and artists to creat a vibrant interesting CBD that is atractive, and a place that is safe.

High rise buildings can be VERY safe, we should'nt be afraid of building them safely in earthquake prone areas. (to note, it was low rise that killed the most people in this shocking earthquake, not highrise)

^and back to style, take a look at Napier, it was a style that atracts tourists, and if CHCH build quick and cheap modernist buildings, the CBD will die.

Christchurch has to save as many heritage buildings as possible, and earthquake proof them, they are christchurch's heart and soul, and there is nothing wrong with that if we are confident that they wont fall and cause more deaths.

my 2 cnts worth

It appears that high rise will not be on the agenda in a future cbd, if most articles are correct. C1 which is the tallest structure had a flag raised at half mast, the article said this was one of the safest structures in the city. My view is that if highrise are not allowed to be built in the cbd, it will hinder the city's ability to flourish significantly. I believe a secondary cbd maybe mooted, which may allow for highrise.

BusinessDay.co.nz

New Economic Development Minister David Carter says there needs to be an "aggressive" demolition programme of unsafe Christchurch buildings as soon as possible so rebuilding of the earthquake-shattered city can start.

"The first priority was to save lives, next was the recovery of bodies, and next making the city safe. A lot of buildings are okay but we don't know how many, so I think we should go in there quite aggressively and take down any building which is unsafe so we can open up the rest of the city. Once that is done we can start the rebuild," said Christchurch born and bred Carter.

Carter, who is also Minister of Agriculture and of Biosecurity, was appointed to the new job by Prime Minister John Key last week after a Cabinet reshuffle of portfolios to allow minister Gerry Brownlee, also of Christchurch, to focus on the task of rebuilding the city.

Carter said after the September 4 earthquake last year, there was a lot of resistance among Cantabrians to demolishing old and historic buildings but he did not anticipate opposition after the latest devastation.

Asked if he thought the national building code's earthquake provisions should be tightened, Carter said it was still early days after the earthquake and that "is a discussion we still need to have".

"Everything comes before a Cabinet process. We all have a role (in the Christchurch response) but we rely heavily on the minister responsible (Maurice Williamson) to develop a code, and that is work he is initiating now."

Carter has attended the funerals of two family friends killed in the earthquake this week.

He said "fair" criticism was developing in the city as to how long it was taking authorities to identify bodies and release them to loved ones.

"We were at a funeral yesterday (Tuesday) of a family friend. Even though his sister was with him when he died and he went to hospital and the hospital pronounced him dead it still took them some days to get the body."

Police and coroner services were "paranoid" about making a wrongful identification, which was understandable, but pressure was growing to speed up the process.

BusinessDay.co.nz

New Economic Development Minister David Carter says there needs to be an "aggressive" demolition programme of unsafe Christchurch buildings as soon as possible so rebuilding of the earthquake-shattered city can start. .

This really cant be helped, but I fear what this will mean for the economy (esp locally, but also nationally) the rebuild needs to be considered, and I cant really see much of the iconic heritage buildings being either saved or rebuilt other than the two cathedrals..

The other consideration is that there will be a dramatic reduction in population which the density will have to reflect.

GLENN CONWAY - 03/03/2011

Business owners and residents will soon be able to re-enter parts of locked-down central Christchurch to retrieve vital equipment, but a retail leader fears much of the inner city could remain closed until Christmas.

A new organisation, the Canterbury Business Recovery Group, said a plan would be completed today to allow limited access to outer areas of the four-avenues cordon.

It said devastated inner-city blocks and areas where rescue and recovery work was continuing would remain off-limits.

Richard Brewer, a spokesman for the group, formed between the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce and the Canterbury Development Corporation, said businesses would be able to retrieve records and equipment from safer areas of the cordon.

Many firms needed to get their computer servers so they could work from other locations, he said.

Inner-city residents would be allowed to collect personal items, and some car owners could get their vehicles if they were undamaged and in safe areas.

He would not put a time frame on the re-entry, but Civil Defence and search and rescue officials were working on the safety issues of the plan. Access would be for a strictly limited period and would be closely controlled.

Christchurch lawyer Grant Cameron said many small businesses would "fall by the wayside" for want of their records and data stored on servers and information technology systems.

He said a small magazine business in Peterborough St employing 14 staff feared it would fold if it could not re-enter soon and retrieve vital IT equipment. The area was low-rise and there was no risk of buildings falling on the owner.

Central City Business Association manager Paul Lonsdale said yesterday it could take at least seven months before the city centre reopened, and that could stretch to Christmas.

He said up to two-thirds of all inner-city buildings could be demolished. Removing them could take at least seven months, but he could not rule out access being restricted until close to Christmas.

Officials had to contend with "highly unstable" areas, such as the Hotel Grand Chancellor.

Although the earthquake was devastating, Lonsdale said, it also gave the city a chance to rebuild Christchurch "in a far better way that inspires the community".

Mayor Bob Parker said it was only a "rumour" that the CBD might not be open for business by Christmas.

"Really at this stage we are still in the planning and shaping process. We don't know exactly when that entry to the city will be," he said.

Christchurch Central MP Brendon Burns said it was "not wise" to put a time on when the central city could be reopened and there were other priorities facing the city.

"We can all have a guess, but all we know is that the central city will be closed for months. But it's not a one-size-fits-all situation."

Ballantynes property general manager Philip Richards said there was "an awful lot of speculative comment" about when the city might reopen.

The company's City Mall department store was closed but it continued to run its branches at Timaru and the Christchurch International Airport.

- The Press

I think it's a psychological factor that being closer to the ground is perceived to be safer. I'm not convinced that you are actually safer though.

True. You're probably much safer in the Taipei 101 than the ground floor of your 1950s 2 story office building.

Get this oaf out.
Hear hear. Putting people before buildings is, of course, necessary, but you don't just barge in and destroy the soul of a place. A delicate touch is required here.

Hear hear. Putting people before buildings is, of course, necessary, but you don't just barge in and destroy the soul of a place. A delicate touch is required here.

I live in Darwin. we were totally destroyed and that destruction totally changed the place. it's going to be difficult to avoid this. the owners of the buildings are going to be (understandably) reticent to re-build in the same style as before having seen the results. even if the tech exists for them to do so.

i can also see masonry buildings becoming unpopular in Chch, much like timber framed buildings are rare as hens teeth in darwin.

When I stated I agreed with Brownlee that 'old building kill people' I was generalizing even thou his basic premise is correct - a number of structural building experts have aslo stated this. However I certainly hope they are very careful in which buildings are demolished. I am sure that local building engineers and architects will have a large input in this process. I am sure Brownlee will not be making any unilateral decision's as there will be many checks and balances and the various historic societies will be keeping a close eye on him. I am no fan of Brownlee and I hope he modifies his 'bull dozer' attitude and approach. He does however want to get he city up and running ASAP which is a good thing.
One fear I have is that new building contracts are not just given to 'big brother' Fletchers.
Fletchers tend to have a monopoly in large building projects in NZ and it will have a 'job for my mates' flavor if they get the tender. Tenders need to be transparent and open to international tenders.
I lived in Sumner for 10 years so I do have affinity to Christchurch and its architecture and the destruction with the old buildings is just horrific.

Chris

I really hope that they save as much as possible and incorporate it into the new building or at least try to rebuild the new building in the original style. For those buildings that can't be saved maybe they should do what was done in Dunedin - print the facade of the original building onto the glass of the new structure eg.

http://www.odt.co.nz/files/featured_gallery/2009/03/dunedin_s_wall_street_shopping_mall_opens_1814187269.jpg

I also remember seeing a building in Paris where they took mouldings of the original (heritage) building and incorporated it into the new building - this will at least retain some of the city's soul :)

Anyways - I have sent Bob Parker and email and a referral to this post - let's see if it helps :colgate:

^^ I actually agree, Syd. I really liked that development in Dunedin (I was surprised that such a small city had something like that to be honest).

It appears that high rise will not be on the agenda in a future cbd, if most articles are correct. C1 which is the tallest structure had a flag raised at half mast, the article said this was one of the safest structures in the city. My view is that if highrise are not allowed to be built in the cbd, it will hinder the city's ability to flourish significantly. I believe a secondary cbd maybe mooted, which may allow for highrise.

That will be just what the nimby's would love to hear, more ammo for their guns, in their argument for no high rises in the CBD. So if no new office tower developments are allowed in the future a lot more business will relocate up to Wellington or Auckland that will only make Christchurch suffer even more.

A week and a half after the earthquake, a theme that recurs through many conversations in Christchurch is of a desire to return to normal.

While there is still much grieving to do for those who have been lost and while it is clear that reconstruction will take a very long time, the human instinct to get back to the familiar and comfortable – to get back to normal – is overwhelming. For Christchurch, though, returning to normal will not mean returning to things as they were before.

The old normal has gone forever and Christchurch must now learn to adjust to a "new normal". Many things about it will be hugely different. After the basic amenities are restored, people have to begin to get their heads around what life is going to be like in this radically altered city.

For many, the first return to normality will be to get their children back to school. This should be high priority for the education authorities, who should be working to bring it about as rapidly, and with as little bureaucratic nonsense, as possible.

Regrettably, the hidebound bureaucrat's mindset can be hard to dislodge and there have been anecdotal accounts of out-of-town paper-shufflers raising difficulties with documentation and paperwork, to the distress of schools and pupils alike. It can only be hoped that such events are not widespread, although the fact that they happen at all shows an appalling lack of sensitivity.

A lot of schools are relatively unscathed so that will be straightforward for their own pupils. Some schools and school grounds, though, are heavily damaged and for them the new normality will mean a vastly different way of operating.

Most schools, if not all, want to retain themselves in as intact a form as possible. If this is achievable, it is plainly desirable both for the benefit of the teachers and employees, who tend to be close-knit and supportive little communities in their own right, but above all for the benefit of the pupils, whose desire to be with teachers with whom they are familiar and with friends will be particularly compelling at this time.

Schools may have to share premises and accommodate the extra numbers by running split shifts – with one school being taught in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Whatever the arrangements, they will require flexibility and great co-operation.

Another part of the new normality is the relocation and re-establishment of businesses in order to save as many jobs as possible.

One thing that just has to be accepted is that many of the small shops and cafes and restaurants in the inner city have disappeared forever.

The destruction of so many of the smaller buildings in Manchester St and Colombo St that housed many of the shops of inner Christchurch mean those businesses will never return. But hundreds of other firms and businesses are making herculean efforts to get up and running from new premises in the suburbs. Already, a kind of de facto central business district is coming into being in the area near Westfield Riccarton mall, around Birmingham Dr and Tower Junction.

Everything must be done to ensure that businesses and jobs are rescued so that the city remains economically viable.

Because of the cordon, the reality of just how badly the centre of the city has been damaged has probably not yet come home to most people. The proposal raised by the Mayor, Bob Parker, to allow people back into the city soon should change that.

The idea is a good one, which will not only allow people to properly grieve for lost lives and property but also help in the process of moving on. It will bring home, as television pictures are not able to do, the reality of how the city is going to have to change.

It may also prompt a radical rethink of how the area might be rebuilt to become the vibrant city centre of the future. One idea, for instance, might be to consider returning the university, or at least substantial parts of it, to the central city.

Not only would such a development correct the wrong decision made 50 years ago to send the university to the suburbs, it would enable a rapid rejuvenation in an area that will urgently need it.

- The Press

That will be just what the nimby's would love to hear, more ammo for their guns, in their argument for no high rises in the CBD. So if no new office tower developments are allowed in the future a lot more business will relocate up to Wellington or Auckland that will only make Christchurch suffer even more.

In Auckland the trend of late is a move away from high rise office developments to more campus style office developments with plenty of open space e.g the new Telecom building(s) and the Carlaw Park redevelopment; and Britomart to a certain extent. IMO this style of development would suit Christchurch well.

It is good to hear some positive ideas being floated, the idea of the university in the inner city sounds particularly good. As our university is real symbol for the future, and to have that in the city's heart would be great. I would describe what is happening now as absolutely critical for the future, possibly the most critical time in Canterbury's history. The city's leaders and planners, are going to have to come up with something very quickly, it is imperative.

Agreed... it's scary to think of the possibility of screwing this up and having a city without a CBD (in a much more literal sense than we complained about for all those years).

Moving the University back into the city is a FANTASTIC idea (T&G site comes to mind but I imagine there are now dozens of similar sites available)... in other cities (notably Sydney and Melbourne) the inner city Universities so directly inject life into the CBD that to move UC back into the CBD could only bring about positive change.

There needs to be a whole new approach to CBD living, working and entertaining. Projects like the Press Precinct and Sydenham Square need to go ahead and be replicated right throughout the CBD, creating street-level atmosphere with mixed-use buildings above. Big box developments and carparks will be the single worst possible outcome and if a 'free market' ideology prevails here, it is also by far the most likely one.

To the people in charge: Please, please don't fuck this up.

It is good to hear some positive ideas being floated, the idea of the university in the inner city sounds particularly good. As our university is real symbol for the future, and to have that in the city's heart would be great. I would describe what is happening now as absolutely critical for the future, possibly the most critical time in Canterbury's history. The city's leaders and planners, are going to have to come up with something very quickly, it is imperative.

Indeed. Integrated with major PT infrastructure? It's an exciting thought anyway.

To the people in charge: Please, please don't fuck this up.

:rofl::rofl:

You don't happen to watch Drag Race do you? <3

http://santinorice.com/blog/uploaded_images/RuPaulEp4-RuPaul-Orig-CropSm-735293.jpg

......"Good luck... And DON'T fuck it up."

It is possible that much of the cbd will become parkland, which appears to be a popular theme amongst civic leaders. If the idea of having the university or part of it relocated to the cbd eventuates, we will probably become more of a uni town something akin to Dunedin. Hopefully the tram extension can proceed. It does seem likely that a secondary cbd is being looked at. Parts of the Tower junction and Riccarton are beginning to emerge as a defacto cbd, while parts of Colombo Street have also been suggested to fill the void. I have even heard suggestions of building some form of cbd or satellite cbd in Hornby. While I can understand the apprehension about highrise in the cbd, I do feel, an area perhaps outside the cbd possibly could be made compatible for highrise, provided it complied with zoning and regulations. Canterbury must look to the future, and it needs some ambitious and bold leadership in the months and years to come.

moving the uni to the inner city.
that could be an interesting idea. the buildings would have to be spread out a little in empty plots, and all of it would have to be in the central city.
one problem would be what to do with the old campus?
one idea I just thought of, is, what if there was a second CBD built around where the uni is?
I think a major focus should be making the central city much more pedestrian and bike friendly, maybe even banning non service vehicles from two or three blocks away from cathedral square, and adding in a lot more tram ways.
it kind of sucks that the NIMBY's are probably going to get their way, and as for the style, who knows? maybe in 20 to 30 years time, the modern clean cut glassy buildings might be looked back as a great style.
personally I wouldn't mind a few more buildings like the new white one beside the art gallery.

just some thoughts.

In Auckland the trend of late is a move away from high rise office developments to more campus style office developments with plenty of open space e.g the new Telecom building(s) and the Carlaw Park redevelopment; and Britomart to a certain extent. IMO this style of development would suit Christchurch well.

Campus offices are inefficient wastes though in an inner city especially. Definitely not a fan of that idea.

Campus offices are inefficient wastes though in an inner city especially. Definitely not a fan of that idea.

I dont like them much either, however I can see that this will be the way of the future for ChCh as density isnt really going to be an issue.

What cities can we as Cantabrians look to as we are inevitably losing that English-ness Christchurch is famous for? Certainly we're not about to tear up everything that is English in this town, but we need to be looking for cities to act as a role model, in areas such as The Arts, Education, how to live sustainably and green and culture/soul. We need to look to our Australian and Canadian friends to take ideas from. We'll never have that vibe you'd get in a Melbourne lane way - but with places like Poplar Lane and SOL we're well on the way to creating our own, unique soul and culture. Town was always an OK place for someone like me to visit.. Yeah I was always stuck between being a Town Bum or a Mall Rat with mates... If we had some younger student populations in the city - what a breath of fresh air that would be. Canada's urban planning - genious. Look to the vibe you'll find in Calgary that would be hard to find in cities double it's size. Bold urban restructuring in many areas is a must. Roads must be rebuilt to a high calibre, with provisions to leave some space in the road for some tram tracks? Yes please! A lot of areas by the estuary should be dealt with - Bexley, how will it hold up? If at all.

I know that Christchurch will, in a few years down the track, attract people that will have many smaller cities looking up to and we could even have some larger cities showing so much respect for what we'll do (hopefully that can turn to past tense soon).

We've got the clean slate here in Christchurch. Time to start to become a Gamma city in the a few years so we can start to become a hub for industries that are large in places like the Silicon Valley that Australasia has previously been lagging in.

I think without a doubt Christchurch will become famous world over for energy efficiency, sustainability and our ecological footprint that will shrink. Well, atleast in the City..

The Gehl report conducted a few years ago, advocates increasing foot traffic, more cycleways and better public transport. This report also strongly recommended decreasing traffic around the innercity. While this report may have been made two years ago, we may be in more of a postion to adopt some of these ideas as they become even more relevant to the rebuilding phase.

increasing foot traffic, more cycleways and better public transport

Surely those are the exact findings of every single urban development study done in the last 20 years? Not exactly unknown that these kinds of things contribute to the type of livability everyone tries to emulate from places like Copenhagen or Amsterdam.

On one hand we are in a unique position to enact real change along these lines, but on the other hand it's going to be a potentially impossible challenge to create a reason for people to go back into the CBD when it was such a struggle even before the quakes.

Surely those are the exact findings of every single urban development study done in the last 20 years? Not exactly unknown that these kinds of things contribute to the type of livability everyone tries to emulate from places like Copenhagen or Amsterdam.

On one hand we are in a unique position to enact real change along these lines, but on the other hand it's going to be a potentially impossible challenge to create a reason for people to go back into the CBD when it was such a struggle even before the quakes.

There is an interesting dichotomy there though. It has been shown that in The Netherlands that the cycling culture has actually contributed to the country having a poorer public transport network compared to other parts of Europe. It seems that the cyclists have actually sapped patronage too much from the PT network meaning that cars are used quite a lot for longer distance travel, hence the terrible traffic jams that afflict The Netherlands.

Personally, though I like cycling, the focus should more be on Copenhagen where a good PT network exists alongside cycling than on Amsterdam which has neglected their PT network by comparison.

Just food for thought! :)

And I'm not sure about damage to University buildings - but if you could get more students into the city, that's got to help.

^^I have heard the gallery apartments will have to be demolished this is right behind the art gallery.

How long do we give it till Jerseryboi turns up on the forum now that Prine William is coming to NZ??

^^ Hehe. Im sure he's still asleep right now.

tbh Im all for him coming. We are asking for much in (or expecting much) in CHC at the moment. A visit from Wills even if just a distaction is a good thing. In fact anything that distracts us from the reality is a good thing. I think William might be building a relationship with the city, he's been here quite a bit over the last couple of years. Be good for Christchurch to stay in his memory, might bode well for our rebuild if he champions our cause.

^^I have heard the gallery apartments will have to be demolished this is right behind the art gallery.

I really hope you are wrong, I love that building. But hey, weve lost everything else it seems, why not throw that one in too!

Doesnt seem to matter whether you are an old or a new build, if the land fractures or subsides underneath you you are screwed.

Campus offices are inefficient wastes though in an inner city especially. Definitely not a fan of that idea.

Perhaps in dense urban centres these style developments could be inefficient, not the case in Auckland and certainly will not be the case in Christchurch.

Prince William to visit Australia and NZ disaster zones

Prince William will visit New Zealand and Australia next week to tour areas devastated by recent natural disasters, St James's Palace has said.

The prince will travel to Christchurch, New Zealand, where more than 160 people died in an earthquake last month.

He will also go to Greymouth, near the site of the Pike River mine disaster in New Zealand in which 29 people died.

William will then travel to Australia, where he will visit areas hit by flooding in Queensland and Victoria.

Emergency services

The prince will visit the two countries on behalf of the Queen following invitations from the prime ministers of New Zealand and Australia

He will not be accompanied by his fiancee Kate Middleton on the trip which takes place from 17-21 March.

The prince will meet those affected by the recent disasters, and members of the emergency and other support services.

William will attend a national memorial service in Christchurch as well as carrying out other engagements in the area.

In Australia, he will go to several locations in Queensland over two days followed by a visit to north-west Victoria.

A St James's Palace spokesman said: "The prince's visit comes after an invitation from the prime ministers of New Zealand and Australia.

"William will be travelling on behalf of the Queen and the wider Royal Family."

'Show solidarity'

The spokesman added: "The Royal Family have been watching the natural disasters with the same shock and sadness as everyone else.

"They wanted to show their solidarity with the people of New Zealand and Australia, and the decision was taken with the prime ministers' offices and the royal household that Prince William should attend and visit the countries."

Flooding caused devastation to vast swathes of the Australian state of Queensland
The magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the city of Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island on 22 February this year.

Also on the South Island, 29 miners became trapped by a gas explosion at the Pike River coal mine in Atarau on 19 November last year.

Parts of Australia were affected torrential rains starting in November last year, forcing rivers to burst their banks.

Prince William was last in New Zealand in January 2010, when he represented the Queen in Auckland and Wellington.

He made a private visit to Sydney and Melbourne in Australia the same month. He first visited Australia as a baby on his parents' tour in 1983.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12683881

Today I received an email from the staff of the Christchurch Tram, the three trams are fine only suffering minor scratching however they are been housed in a different location, there has been some damage to tracks although nothing too serious. It does seem that the trams maybe put in storage, didn't receive any idea when they would be running again.:)

http://static2.stuff.co.nz/1299755098/564/4755564.jpg

Christchurch could become the headquarters of New Zealand's construction industry for the next decade, with predictions that rebuilding the city could cost $30 billion.

Fletchers infrastructure chief executive Mark Binns said staff and money from all over New Zealand would be redirected towards Christchurch over the next decade.

Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce chief executive Peter Townsend said estimates of $20b to fix Christchurch were "very light" and could easily reach $30b.

Binns said yesterday that money tagged for Auckland and Wellington projects would probably be diverted to Christchurch, and scores of companies would review their "human capital" and probably relocate many to the rebuild.

"The event of February 22 was a game-changer. There will be massive implications for the industry over the next decade," he said.

It was inevitable workers from outside Canterbury would be needed to repair the "level of devastation" in the city.

He said this meant builders, engineers and others in the industry would relocate to the city for years at a time as the Government looked at reallocating money for major North Island projects further south.

"Firms will have to start looking at their human capital and see where their resources should be concentrated. There could be a lot of staff moving to Christchurch."

Binns said the February 22 earthquake had changed the scale of the problem facing construction companies and others involved in repairing and rebuilding.

"Everyone will have to re-evaluate how work around the country is rolled out and the resources required," he said. "It's a pretty intensive programme over the next decade that will need planning."

Townsend said there was "absolutely no doubt" Christchurch would be the "home of construction" for the next decade.

He said it was emerging that the rebuilding cost would be far greater than first thought.

Early estimates put the price tag at between $15b and $20b, but the scale of the devastation was "on a magnitude well above what happened on September 4".

He said economists and others who originally calculated the bill at about $20b were already revising their figures upwards.

"When you start adding up what has happened, what needs to be done, the scale of this thing is just massive. It's mindboggling. I think $30b is more than possible," Townsend said.

He expected the most "intense" spending of that money would be in "years two to six".

The Green Party has warned of the "real danger" of New Zealand builders disappearing overseas when they were desperately needed for the Christchurch rebuild.

Co-leader Metiria Turei said this week's collapse of Sovereign Homes was further evidence that the country's building industry was in trouble.The impact of Christchurch's rebuild would not fully "kick in" until next year.

"If there is no work in the interim, the tradespeople will disappear overseas and we will have a shortage of workers when we need them the most."

She said the Government urgently needed to invest in fast-tracking repairs, training programmes and building state houses.

- The Press

Maybe Christchurch will have so much develpoment going on in the future we could have more tower cranes on the skyline than Auckland. Back in 1987 we had 13 cranes in the CBD up at once, those were the days. I never thought they return...fingers crossed

I wouldn't hold my breath, it isn't likely that more highrise will be on the agenda. It is possible that a new light rail system could be made as a centrepiece as part of the rebuild. At this stage it is all just speculation. If overseas experts are called in who have experience particularly from Europe, we could see something exciting.

My 2 Cents Worth for the Future

Ok so when Chch is ready to rebuild and everyone has had their chance to voice their opionions here are some options I would like to see.

1. CBD area: I know people have been talking about campus style office buildings and no more highrise, I would like to see a compacted CBD with the area betwen Madras St and Fitzgerald Ave become a massive new park, this could even be bigger with the same happening between Moorhouse and St Asaph and again between Bealy Ave and Salisbury St. It would make a massive town belt area around the CBD much like Adelaide.
In the CBD there would be 5- 8 Skycrapers about 30-40 stories that would replace mostly the current office space, I get this idea from Frankfurt which has really tall skyscrapers but arent in a big bunch but more spread around the CBD.

2. Transport: Light rail trams are cool and useful but lets think Sydney Harbour Bridge and use some heavy rail. There is currently a line to Rangiora, a line to Lyttleton and a line to Rolleston that are unused. Add a branch off the Rangiora line through Bishopdale and then onto the airport.
A brand new line can be built through the eastern suburbs that need to be rebuilt anyhow beginning running parrallel to Madras St then to Shirley, Burwood and New Brighton. Trams can run around the inner-city suburbs
A motorway connecting Brougham St running alongside Marshland Rd upto the Norrthern Motorway.

Anyhow that is pretty basic and vague but just some ideas.

My 2 Cents Worth for the Future

Ok so when Chch is ready to rebuild and everyone has had their chance to voice their opionions here are some options I would like to see.

1. CBD area: I know people have been talking about campus style office buildings and no more highrise, I would like to see a compacted CBD with the area betwen Madras St and Fitzgerald Ave become a massive new park, this could even be bigger with the same happening between Moorhouse and St Asaph and again between Bealy Ave and Salisbury St. It would make a massive town belt area around the CBD much like Adelaide.
55% of CBD buildings are green-stickered with no restrictions on use (the remainder split evenly between yellow and red), and surely more in the areas you speak of with all the wooden homes there. North of Salisbury is no longer cordoned (with the exception of the far West), ditto for East of Barbadoes, and the South-West corner of the CBD. The power is on in those areas barring the odd street. People are living there right now. Even South City Centre has shops open.

Sorry if I'm being a party pooper!

55% of CBD buildings are green-stickered with no restrictions on use (the remainder split evenly between yellow and red), and surely more in the areas you speak of with all the wooden homes there. North of Salisbury is no longer cordoned (with the exception of the far West), ditto for East of Barbadoes, and the South-West corner of the CBD. The power is on in those areas barring the odd street. People are living there right now. Even South City Centre has shops open.

Sorry if I'm being a party pooper!

Not at all, good to see some action in the CBD, these are just some ideas that I had.

Found a forum which is about how Christchurch can rebuild and how, some interesting ideas. http:www.reimaginechristchurch.org.nz/forum.

Sorry about the links, this is a good forum, finally some positive ideas, to think about, interresting to get some of your views.

I actually put this in the Cathedral thread by mistake.

Its a little far-fetched, but at least he is thinking outside the box.

http://www.elevatedgardencity.com/

^^I actually put this in the Cathedral thread by mistake.

Its a little far-fetched, but at least he is thinking outside the box.

http://www.elevatedgardencity.com/

Thought it was in a strange place.

I don't really understand the concept much myself, although it kind of looks like something out of "The Bladerunner".

cool, but a bit exposed in the winter... maybe instead of rooftops they could make all the shops underground so the whole cbd was flat except for the cathedral and other key destinations.... did i just think that? whats in my drink!

Its a facebook event. i got invited. might attend. i just dont want 2 levels all over the show.

Agreed, but good to see someone showing some vision!

Have we got any indication yet at all that there might be any sort of overall "vision" to the reconstruction? Do you forsee anyone taking the lead, or will this be a free-market recovery?

That's what I think, there hasn't been a great deal of vision at this stage. Probably too early, anyone know if there are any other forums around discussing this.

Have we got any indication yet at all that there might be any sort of overall "vision" to the reconstruction? Do you forsee anyone taking the lead, or will this be a free-market recovery?

Normally it would be the job of the CCC to zone land so that the city turns out the way the council wants it to be. Because of the scale of the task there is a serious possibility that the Government will appoint a committee which will take over the rebuilding of the city.

Its a tough call for the government tho, if it forms the committee then it is taking powers from a democratically elected body to an appointed body. That did not go down too well with ECAN. It would also make the government responsible if stuffs up.

It also creates other issues, like would the relationship between the council and the new committee be? What legal powers would the committee have and how many rights could it take off private land owners ect?

Naturally the council does not want to put too much into plans for rebuilding until it knows what`s happening.

Whatever happens, you can guarantee that neither the government or council will actually build permanent buildings, they`ll leave that to developers. All that they will do is put restrictions on what can and can not be done with land in certain areas.

What cities can we as Cantabrians look to as we are inevitably losing that English-ness Christchurch is famous for? Certainly we're not about to tear up everything that is English in this town, but we need to be looking for cities to act as a role model, in areas such as The Arts, Education, how to live sustainably and green and culture/soul. We need to look to our Australian and Canadian friends to take ideas from. We'll never have that vibe you'd get in a Melbourne lane way - but with places like Poplar Lane and SOL we're well on the way to creating our own, unique soul and culture.

Devastating as the earthquake was, it does present a huge opportunity for Christchurch. After the 1931 Napier quake, they took the opportunity to widen the streets and bury all the power lines, for example. (ok, they ripped up the tram tracks... so they didn't get everything right)

I usually find when old buildings get demolished for new ones, you lose the smaller quirky shops that give character to a place. Maybe there's a possibility here to create some Melbourne-style laneways with small/boutique sized shops and bars where currently there are none.

I hope the powers that be take a good hard look at the city and consider the possibilities to achieve something now, that they may never have considered before, and may never again get an opportunity to achieve.

Good luck and kia kaha, Christchurch.

http://static2.stuff.co.nz/1299821229/580/4758580.jpg

Ten prominent New Zealanders share their visions for a new city. Interviews by Adam Dudding.

JUSTIN PATON. Christchurch Art Gallery curator

I'd love to see one of those foreign squillionaires who's been buying up land at the top of the South Island stump up money to bring a really amazing, world-class architect to this town and make the central city their mission. So much has been lost in Christchurch; but we stand to lose so much more if the wrong kind of central city gets rebuilt.

It's important not to forget that the CBD was struggling badly before the earthquake hit, with small and interesting retailers cramped by high rents, and the rampant malling of outer Christchurch. In my nightmare vision what we see in Christchurch is effectively the Riccarton Westfield dumped in the centre of town. Christchurch doesn't want to become one of those cities that is livable only on its edges.

For many people the cathedral is the symbol of Christchurch, so its construction is seen as key to any kind of regrowth. But symbols are not what make cities great. Think about what makes Wellington an exciting place to be, in a way it wasn't two decades ago. It's not the obvious architectural symbols – it's not the Beehive. It's the way some clever planners had the foresight to embrace that weird mishmash of activies and building types along the waterfront. It's crazy and nobody in their right mind could have planned it into being, and yet it's thrilling and it works.

In my dream, inner-city Christchurch would become a more open, less fiercely gridded and maybe slightly more wayward place. Alongside new buildings we need to leave some ruins; we need to leave some rubble and empty lots. Don't fence them, don't mow them, don't bulldoze them flat. Let grass and a few wildflowers grow and let people come by and remember.

If there's an attitude I'd like to see left in the rubble, it's that special brand of aggro that seems to ooze out of the streets in Christchurch beyond 9pm – the kind of aggro that inspires young men in cars to yell at anyone they see walking on the street. Think about it – the person you yelled at for no reason last week might be the one digging you out of silt the next. Perhaps it's a pipe dream, but it would be nice to think the earthquake might prompt a long-lived citywide outbreak of goodwill, good manners and good-heartedness.

My day job is working at the art gallery, so there is the question of art. Symbolic expressions of healing are a long way from the top of your list when the power's off and the walls are cracked. But now more than ever, a bit of colour, pleasure, lightness and frivolity seem tremendously valuable things. What I'd like to see is not art that responds to the earthquake – I'd just like to see art doing its usual, wonderful, trivial and therefore serious thing.

An event like this does make you think of that longer view – how should a city be constructed for our children's children's children?

Brian Eno has a great phrase that sums this up – he talks about "the long now" – this idea of trying to think with the same degree of focus about 100 or 200 or 300 years from now as we do about the present moment. We're possibly the most now-obsessed culture there has ever been. An earthquake – along with all the other looming environmental threats – ought to give us good cause to think about the state of this place, and the state of the landscape, many years from now, and put down some good foundations in every sense.

SIR MILES WARREN. Architect

The big problem will be to the southeast of Christchurch CBD, where most of the pre-1900 buildings – little shops and so on – will all, I think, eventually have to be demolished. There'll be a large blank area. What we should develop is a building type that could restore those streets. The model is the typical European city building – retail or offices on the ground floor, apartments above of two or three storeys, and parking tucked in behind within trees, so you bring apartments into the inner city.

You'll have Colombo and Manchester St made into avenues, setting the buildings back a bit, planting the trees along the face of them, and then having carparking behind, within a planted area.

The apartments could be made of lightweight materials – timber.

The worst thing [that could] happen is single-storey retail, just verandahs trailing on out along High St. That'll look like a hick town. The thought of moving the centre away at this stage is absurd. Good heavens, there's a hell of a lot there which is fine in my view.

The buildings in the damaged retail areas of the south-east inner city – most of them standard 19th-century run-ups – were junk, structurally, simple brick facades with reduced neo-classic detail plastered on them.

The great danger of all those buildings is they were stiff on the dividing walls and the back wall, but the wall to the street was just brick perched on top of a steel beam – no tie at all. They just flopped off. You can see the result. They were a disaster waiting to happen.

If you'd put a map of Christchurch down in front of a group of engineers and architects and asked them which buildings would fall down in an earthquake, that's exactly what's happened.

I suppose successive city councils have to take some responsibility.

FIONA FARRELL. Author

The city had lost its way back in the 70s and 80s when it decided to hand the centre over to shops where you can buy sheepskin slippers and daft little tram rides. They'd lost the vision that a city is fundamentally for the people who live there.

The chance is there to remedy all that went wrong. Stop thinking of tourists as the focus of the city and start thinking of the people who actually live here. If you have a tram, make it a tram that goes to Brighton – currently it does a totally pointless circle.

I gather from the paper that there's a huge increase in people reporting "broken heart syndrome" – chest pain but there's nothing wrong with them. That's a metaphor for what's happened to the city. I feel that cities are like a body and they need a heart.

If you spread everything all over the suburbs you create problems for transport, and you leave a kind of hollow. I've lived in North America and I know what happens when cities get hollowed out – they get filled up with squalor. Detroit is just the most depressing place.

It would be a terrible shame if Gerry Brownlee simply hands the design of the city over to, say, some Australian engineering company. It's a chance for the city to do something spectacular and wonderful. It's almost a blank slate.

It would be good to keep a ceremonial centre – that's where Rod Donald's funeral was held; and the administrative centre. And then you need to bring young people into the city. You need the sort of bounce and sparkle you get in Dunedin when the students are home. So bring those educational institutions into the city.

There need to be things that draw people in: entertainment, movie theatres, things that make people happy. That's what the Italians devised centuries ago – they built places where people hang out and chat and gossip and watch one another.

JAMES LUNDAY. Urban designer

In the 1980s and 90s, Britain held five "National Garden Festivals", each intended to kick-start the regeneration of derelict urban land. Urban planner James Lunday, now living in Auckland, was a master planner of the 1988 Glasgow festival, and says a similar event would provide a focal point for the regeneration of Christchurch.

A garden festival is about replanning and reconstructing an area after devastation. The whole of Glasgow's Clydeside had to be rebuilt, because all the old industries had gone, so we tapped into Europe's international garden movement, which had been set up to help cities that had been bombed badly in the war.

We did a masterplan, then the roads were built and trees were planted, then all the building areas were cleared and nations were asked to come and build a garden – like an expo. And during that time you have film festivals, arts festivals and people came from all over to see it.

Instead of asking for aid we were asking them to come and celebrate landscape; and after that we sold sites to the market. Some gardens were dismantled, but some became permanent parks.

How it would work in Christchurch is that you would stretch out internationally to stakeholders – large corporations like Microsoft and the governments of our major trading nations.

Then you do a remediation (in Clydeside it was remediation of toxic waste and in Dresden it was unexploded bombs and mass graveyards). You put your new roading and infrastructure in. You get the cathedral finished and some of the public buildings, and perhaps some commercial buildings.

It's a bit like the America's Cup, which kick-started Auckland's Viaduct Basin. You have a target and you know you have the world arriving on your doorstep. People get behind a thing like that because it's tangible. Look at the work it will create and look at the focus it will give that work.

When we did this in Glasgow, the council committed to building key buildings that were then converted to community assets. Some of the countries involved also donated buildings: the Germans built an exhibition pavilion that later became a gallery of contemporary art.

It's just a mechanism for the recreation of the CBD, an impetus to get things tidied up. One of the things I'm scared about is the kneejerk reaction of "let's have an international conference, or an international competiton to see who can design Christchurch".

That's all paper. Let's work with the people of Christchurch to build the city they want, but let's have a close target for when we tidy up.

Imagine a Christchurch that only had two- to three-storey buildings, and the church spires and domes sitting above the skyline, and the trees sitting above the buildings. When you looked from the Port Hills you would see the spires and you would see sculptures and you would see tree cover, and the houses nestling under it. A very different city.

PERI DRYSDALE. Founder of clothing label Untouched World

First we need to find out from geologists what's going on under our city, then take that knowledge into the building code. We need to feel safe again.

Yes, keep the cathedral, but one of my designers had a good suggestion – that we don't rebuild the spire as it was. We make it the same shape but in glass and metal, to signal that Christchurch acknowledges its history but that it has moved on – and as a monument to those who have died.

You must be able to turn Christchurch into a bike city – it's flat, for God's sake. Build cycleways off the road, away from cars, but lots of them, so you can get anywhere in the city really easily, without the issues of opening car doors in your face. If you do that you'll get children on bikes going to school instead of parents in cars – that reduces congestion, improves health, increases mental wellbeing and performance at school. Likewise people biking to work. Then couple that with a really good transit system that's frequent, efficient, reliable and fast, and you can put bikes on it.

SIR GIL SIMPSON. Software entrepreneur

[Luddites] are out in force. They're called the greens. Our colours are red and black, not green. We must not turn the middle of the city into a cycle park. People must have access to it by car – if anything, access to it by car should be made easier. People decide where the centre is – if they turn it into a big skateboard park, forget it. We mustn't forget – 50,000 people work there.

And this business about moving the CBD is nuts. Christchurch has a natural form that's a radial pattern; any planner's model that tries to do away with that is doomed. Good things happen naturally. You want a framework – but we don't want Stalingrad the second. We don't want Christchurchgrad.

MARK SOLOMON. Kaiwhakahaere (chair) of Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu

The Christchurch of the future that I see is low-rise rather than high-rise. The streets need to be wider in case of another earthquake; the CBD should be more open for foot traffic rather than cars. We've got an opportunity to develop a green city – solar power, etc.

Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM. Green Party MP

Much of the eastern suburbs are built on wetlands and marshlands, which isn't a terribly good idea if we assume there's a continuing seismic risk. There's a strong argument, if you're talking sustainability, that we should perhaps be restoring forestry and wetlands in those areas, returning it to nature.

And does the CBD relocate further west, or does it stay where it is? In sustainability terms, you do very well in terms of high-rise buildings, as you're reducing your ecological footprint per person. But who in Christchurch is going to want to live above the second floor from now on?

ROD CARR. Vice-chancellor, Canterbury University

I have a vision for a city that is knowledge-based, that is advanced in applied technology and science and that has a wide variety of jobs for people with a wide variety of skills. One of the dimensions of that would be a science/engineering/technology/knowledge-based sector that is entrepreneurial and founded on the western liberal arts tradition of curiosity and inquiry, and which leverages Canterbury's wider regional hinterland of agricultural applied science. That didn't leave town with the earthquake.

The important thing for New Zealand is to make sure that [Christchurch's] human capital remains intact. If it is dissipated, it won't just go to Auckland – it will go to Australia and beyond. That's the institution that we need to protect and preserve.

It's not a matter of sympathy or charity for New Zealand to help Christchurch recover from its lost physical insfrastcutre. This is absolutely in the national interest.

GARRY MOORE. Former Christchurch mayor

I've proposed we have a world conference of cities that have been flattened – get them to Christchurch in the next two months; ask what you got right and wrong and what we can learn together.

But we shoudn't have an inferiority complex about doing it ourselves. The architecture of the future is going to be what we come up with ourselves.

I would ban any more malls in Christchurch. In the centre, instead of turning our back on the river, I'd reinforce the river – it would maybe be worthwhile even digging up some of the streams that we've buried. You could make it a very green and a very environmentally interesting city.

A great proportion of our old brick buildings will go; if there are doubts, I'd bowl them – they've had it. There was some beautiful stuff, but there's some crap that's been built. I'd go for wood – wood is our new medium. We shouldn't go over three storeys.

Rebuild the retail around Ballantynes. Make your retail precinct in the middle smaller and much more idiosyncratic. If you go to one mall you go to the lot – we need to be different.

WHAT THE PUBLIC THINKS

The public has been asked to post online their visions for a new Christchurch at www.reimaginechristchurch.org.nz

Each idea can then be voted on.

Here are a few of the ideas winning votes last week:

Sustainable city, cycle lanes, community, lots of green space, rain water collection, solar, wind. Trams as major public transport method. Key lines East, West, North and South. Let's carry the garden city idea up to our rooftops with green roofs.

Relegate cars to fourth-class citizens in central city. Central city should be designed for pedestrians first, cyclists second, trams third, cars fourth. High-speed, high-availability wireless internet infrastructure supporting flexible workplaces. All rebuilt CBD buildings should have cycle parking and shower facilities.

Make it easy and appealing for employees to ride their bikes to work. Go West! Add base isolaters to the NZ building code for all three-or-more-storey buildings. Sky Train, light automated rail connecting major city routes.

Additional reporting Tim Hume

- Sunday Star Times

James Lunday speaks a lot of sense, and in truth it would be better to get him and other urban planners involved and not architects as such. The issue in NZ is that the established firms will be lining up the policy makers and putting their snouts in the public purse... Urban planners whilst they would be making a fee, there is far less in it for them than having the old boys getting too involved too early on in the piece.

Yeah, you want a guy like that to design the city, and then take the art gallery curator's idea of forking out serious $$$ to get a world class architect or two like Norman Foster to design the buildings.

Perhaps the different sectors of the city to be rebuilt could be given a theme (e.g technology, arts, entertainment, retail, etc) and a different architect used to design those sectors, starting from a blank bit of paper. Kind of like the Rhubarb Lane project in Auckland, just on a much bigger scale.

And what was the software entrepreneur thinking? Make it more accessible for cars?

The next ten years are going to be, without a doubt, the most deifining era in Christchurch's history - it's the rebuild. The ideas i like the most are the first four people.

The City must be well planned and designed.I would stil want to see at least a few tallish buildings,but i read somewhere that the city may end up with 'a broad but low rise CBD'.I never thought,even before the quake that Christchurch would have several high rises of 90m like say Auckland or Wellington.I am not sure if a CBD of mainly 3 or 4 storeys is really that great for the city.will that not lead to more sprawl and suburban malls ?

The City must be well planned and designed.I would stil want to see at least a few tallish buildings,but i read somewhere that the city may end up with 'a broad but low rise CBD'.I never thought,even before the quake that Christchurch would have several high rises of 90m like say Auckland or Wellington.I am not sure if a CBD of mainly 3 or 4 storeys is really that great for the city.will that not lead to more sprawl and suburban malls ?

Like it or not, there aint going to be any high rises left in CHCH. Most people have vowed that they will never go inside another high rise. I don't blame them, it must have been very scary on even the 6th or 7th floor.

Leaves the owners of the PWC building in a bit of a pickle. Spend all this money earthquake strengthening it, then have no one want to go back into it.

Christchurch needs to accept international help to rebuild, urges David Killick.

What Christchurch so desperately needs is a real plan and a real vision.

What it emphatically does not need is an ad hoc, piecemeal approach with individuals squabbling and vying for attention. All voices should - indeed, must - be heard, perhaps by way of a public forum, but with a clear, central focus. Guiding principles must be established. Once action takes place unthinkingly, it will be too late.

One firm offering assistance is the giant multinational Bechtel Corporation. Bechtel is a massive organisation responsible for mega- engineering projects such as the Hoover Dam and the Chunnel, and putting out Kuwaiti oil well fires after the first Gulf War.

Bechtel can help with comprehensive assistance in assessment, clean-up, hazardous waste disposal, infrastructure rebuild, economic assessment, co- ordination with central government, and disaster aid direction. I spoke to a senior Bechtel executive in London, Mike Mix. He told me what the corporation does is to establish a master plan, and then work together with local experts on the ground to create the best outcome.

I forwarded Bechtel's offer to Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and received the standard acknowledgment from the minister's office: Thank you, we'll get back to you. We figured mayor Bob Parker would also be too busy with day-to-day stuff - but the opportunity is there.

I also spoke to former mayor Garry Moore and MP Jim Anderton. Both men are keen to invite experts from around the country and around the world to discuss where Christchurch goes to now. Moore stresses he has no official role, and any get-together is just a concept at this stage.

But I think it is a brilliant idea, bright, positive, and optimistic. We need experienced people working together. Forget politics.

A German architecture firm specialising in green architecture, which I visited two years ago, also pledged to help - but they stressed they didn't want to step on any toes, and would work together with local architects, if they were needed.

German architects have extensive experience rebuilding shattered cities, first following Word War II and, more recently, rebuilding the former East Germany following the depredations of communism. They do big projects. They are especially adept at creating exciting, innovative urban architecture and areas for community living - a notable example being Berlin, today one of Europe's most exciting cities.

Danish urban planner Jan Gehl came up with an exciting concept for the future of Christchurch in a report that cost Christchurch ratepayers several hundreds of thousands of dollars. It was terrific. But his report seems to have sunk without trace. It is not too late to revive it.

Just how bad is Christchurch? I believe the situation is worse than most people realise. Or want to contemplate. Tens of thousands have left. Without hearing any inspiring vision for the future, thousands more will give up on the city, too.

Here are just a few of the colossal issues to be addressed:

How many old buildings (Gerry Brownlee's "old dungers") need to go? Answer: maybe one in three. Should just a few - the best and most significant - be saved (the most probable scenario)? Of course, many old buildings were very shabby and poorly maintained before the earthquake. But, in rethinking the city, should we just forget heritage altogether?

It is not just old buildings that will have to come down. The Grand Chancellor, one of Christchurch's tallest buildings, will almost certainly be demolished. And what of other high-rises in which stairways collapsed? Even if declared safe, would you ever want to go back inside one?

People have expressed the fervent hope that, no matter what new buildings emerge, they be good ones.

That means interesting and innovative buildings - not just bland, boring warehouse-like boxes. It should go without saying they also must be the best engineered.

Yes, tourists visit New Zealand for the scenery, not the architecture, but surely we can give them something worth looking at? And, of course, we have to live here.

Does the city need a business centre at all? Is a CBD an outmoded concept? Will more businesses relocate to the outskirts? Given the rise of technology, it is quite possible for people to work from remote locations.

The city will, however, undoubtedly remain a hub for retailing, tourist accommodation, sporting and cultural activities - although, perhaps, not exclusively.

Transport is a big issue: Christchurch streets have become more clogged, even before the earthquake. We will undoubtedly need better public transport links. A tram purely for tourists is surely not a high priority.

We need to rethink where we live and work: in commuter suburbs, or in communities with shared facilities like shops, schools, cafes, and businesses?

There is already talk of moving as many as 10,000 people out of their homes in the worst-hit eastern suburbs and relocating them, holus-bolus, into new, temporary accommodation, perhaps in Rolleston.

Existing suburbs would be grassed over. But is that the best solution? Or would that create a ghetto?

No, the land probably can't be "remediated" - whatever that means. But it may well be possible to build stronger houses with better foundations, even "floating houses" or flexible houses that could withstand earthquakes. Such designs exist overseas, in Europe and North America. These firms, too, have pledged to help.

Self-sufficient houses, with independent solar energy and eco- friendly sewerage systems, are another option.

Yes, building back better - in every sense - will be expensive. But it won't be nearly as expensive as not doing so.


- The Press

Like it or not, there aint going to be any high rises left in CHCH. Most people have vowed that they will never go inside another high rise. I don't blame them, it must have been very scary on even the 6th or 7th floor.



Jeez, then I feel sorry for people who must be terrified to be in highrise in say Tokyo, Manila, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Istanbul etc etc. I have no issues at all living and working in whatevers left of Christchurchs midrises.

Lived on the 22nd floor of a condo in Los Angeles, felt a couple of 4's and a 5. Im not traumatized.

The Gehl report which was conducted about two years ago could give us an interesting blueprint as well as the other two architects and urban renewal experts. I can't see the present cbd remaining the prime activity centre it has been before the quake, it maybe a pedestrian friendly area consisting of parkland and a lot of greenery. Possibly the uni may relocate there which has been touted and some retail development. If 10,000 people are going to be relocated around Rolleston, it is very likely that this area or others could resemble a town centre like Botany Downs or Manukau. Certain areas will be benefactories from the quake including areas like Riccarton, Hornby and the airport where businesses are already relocating. It would be interesting to get a clearer blueprint on what is actually happening, at the moment one can only really speculate.

128 buildings to go in the city - that's a lot of space to fill

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/4838573/At-least-128-Christchurch-CBD-buildings-face-demolition

I was watching the NZ cricket semi-final with some Indian guys here the other night and they were asking questions about visiting in 2015, and the likely venues.

I couldn't help but think that that is a good target date for Christchurch to have some significant progress. Not all, sure. but something that says they are back up and running.

Who knows, maybe there is an opportunity for a CBD-located test cricket ground, like the Basin in Wellington (not that it would be used during the WC...)

A bit of good news...

http://libel.co.nz/2529-christchurch_s_isaac_theatre_royal_is_here_to_stay_

Christchurch's Isaac Theatre Royal Is Here To Stay!

Rumours have been rife recently with regards to the state and future of Christchurch's much-loved and historic Isaac Theatre Royal but the Board and Management of the city's finest and most prestigious heritage venue have confirmed today that based on current structural engineer's assessments and aerial photographs obtained recently of the venue, the 'Grand Old Lady' of Canterbury Theatre will survive beyond 2011 to hopefully once again be the Premier venue for the theatrical arts industry in Christchurch's rebuilt City Centre.

The Isaac Theatre Royal is situated in Gloucester Street between Manchester & Colombo Streets as close to the middle of the cordoned off CBD 'red-zone' as any building could be... Any premature statements as to the condition of the city's historic theatre venue were delayed until a detailed report on her overall status from engineers was on hand, but a recent structural report states, "The building, although moderately damaged, has performed extremely well in an event much greater than any strengthening was designed for".

An extensive earthquake strengthening program of the building was completed in 1999 to much higher specifications than required at that time. A massive $6.5M privately raised redevelopment in 2004/5 then upgraded the Theatre's production & hosting facilities and capabilities to modern global standards. Thankfully that foresight of the Directors and Management of the Theatre Royal Charitable Foundation over those years have without doubt guaranteed her survival through one of one of the most devastating natural events in New Zealand's modern history.

General Manager Neil Cox said, "We are working closely with all our clients and producers locally, nationally and internationally. The goodwill & support we have received from the wider global entertainment world towards our city, our people and our Theatre has been astounding. We will draw on all that good nature and support going forward to ensure Isaac Theatre Royal will be a shining light once again for performing arts in Christchurch".

However, management confirmed today that the Theatre will be closed for all events until 31st October 2011 at this stage while remedial work is planned and undertaken. This date will be re-assessed in August based on progress of those works at that time.

Cox continued, "...with so much visual & tragic devastation around us and with so many horrific stories from this life-changing event in the city, I am relieved at least to say that Isaac Theatre Royal will be operational again in the not-too-distant-future and thankfully not another casualty of the widespread inner city demolitions. We are not unscathed of course, but some very positive structural reports recently confirm we can at least move forward and start planning for any required remedial processes with confidence. Once we can gain complete access to the Theatre's offices and backstage technical areas, we can assess what we need to do to further enhance the facility and promote public confidence and ongoing support for this beautiful venue. I can say though hand-on-heart that contrary to various rumours our ornate painted dome is still intact and still exactly where it was intended to be! There is a lot of work to do, there is no escaping that but once again, for the third time in her history, she will get a reprieve from the wrecker's ball!"

Christchurch's historic Theatre Royal opened in 1908 on Tuesday 25th February. A performance of "Blue Moon" on that early 20th century evening was captured forever on an original photograph that now sits in the Theatre's archives with a copy proudly displayed on the wall of the famous Dress Circle Poster Room of the now named "Isaac Theatre Royal". The 1908 photograph was taken before the two Great Wars, before the Napier earthquake, before anyone really worried too much about earthquakes in Canterbury and before any other form of mass media other than the daily press would report what was happening in our world. The catastrophic events of Tuesday 22nd February 2011 that devastated the city of Christchurch fell 3 days short of the Theatre's 103rd birthday. Our city and our lives have changed forever but the Isaac Theatre Royal will continue to present a spectacular snapshot and historic reminder of the past century, entertaining the next few generations of proud Cantabrians and remaining the premier theatrical venue for the greater community of Christchurch.

Developers make tracks in Christchurch's CBD
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/4841764/Developers-make-tracks-in-Christchurchs-CBD

Developers are already drawing up plans for new buildings in Christchurch's CBD to replace those destroyed and demolished in the February earthquake.

"We are already seeing the emergence of people wanting to buy land in the city to put design-and-builds up," said Hamish Doig, the Christchurch branch managing director of commercial real estate company Colliers International.

Doig said the modern buildings that will eventually replace the older masonry ones, which provided the city with much of its character, would be "heavily engineered" with a focus on quality.

He expects very few of the older buildings in the CBD will remain.

"The ones that have survived probably aren't commercial ones. The cathedral might be reinstated and the law courts might be reinstated. It's very sad but the vast majority have been annihilated," he said.

Many newer buildings are also likely to be pulled down.

"I was talking with engineers about our [Collier's] building. It's a modern building built in 1990-1991 and the expectation is that it's going to be demolished.

"There are a lot of post-1987 buildings that have major failures in terms of their structures. Every day there are new buildings getting added to the list of critical ones. It's going to be a brand new city."

Because of the time rebuilding would take, he expected demand for space from tenants would exceed supply for the next three to four years.

The CBD contained 435,000m2 of office space, but he estimated that only about 5% of that could be accessed because of the safety cordons around the city.

Most tenants had been forced to seek alternative premises, and landlords were able to set higher rents and longer lease terms.

Although the initial burst of demand for space has died down, there would be continuing demand because many tenants are now cramped into offices that are too small for their needs.

"We [Colliers] were in 450m2 before, now we are in 180m2 and camping. And a hell of a lot of tenants are in the same situation."

The upside is that the development of new buildings was more financially attractive and that would support rebuilding.

An example of this was the Hazeldean Business Park at Addington, south of Hagley Park. Before February's quake, it was a little over half full. But within two days of the quake it was 100% leased, Doig said. Its owners are now likely to add a fourth building on the site.

In the meantime there are plans to develop two temporary business parks in the city. Westpac is proposing one on the grounds of CBS Arena, and Christchurch International Airport is also proposing a temporary office park on its land in the north west of the city.

Good points:
- The industry recognises that the new buildings need to be "good-quality", hopefully not just in terms of earthquake-resistance but also design.

Concerning points:
- Potential sacrificing of design when focusing solely on the building's 'sturdiness'.
- I'm concerned that they are talking up the positives of the increased demand for office parks when we should be trying to get workers back into the central city. Office parks are a fantastic way to strip all of the life out of the CBD.
- Why is it now accepted that high-rise is mostly off the cards? Is it just a predicted public weariness of them or a genuine concern about safety? I would hope the industry would lead by example and show that well-constructed high-rise is far safer than shoddily-made 5-7 storey buildings (the kind that took the most lives in the quake).

Here's a good discussion point - Napier was rebuilt in the 30's in the prevailing style at the time, which may not have been apparent then but now is obvious (and looks great).

Is there an equivalent style at the moment that will be looked back on to define the early 21st century? Or does this require hindsight to be able to determine?

Was the Napier rebuild completely free market, or did someone say "right, this is what we want the new buildings to look like" and guide the overall design into a coherent form?

Office parks no!

Great find tim- interesting reading. Honest to god whats the kneejerk reaction to high rise? I say again- Taipei/Los Angeles/Istanbul/Tokyo etc. Chc doesnt even have any highrise anyway? I live only a few floors off the ground and I sleep soundly enough.

I'm pretty certain Im going to stay in this city. I'd happily put my money where my mouth is and purchase again in another midrise. People against them were probably always ground dwellers anyway.

Prime Minister John Key today welcomed Westpac's announcement of a temporary business hub for quake-affected small businesses in Christchurch.

The Westpac Business Hub, set to open in early May, will give local small and medium-sized businesses free access to office space, key services and networks. It is expected the hub will be able to house up to 70 businesses at any one time.

"It is great to see Westpac offering this practical assistance to help local businesses continue their operations and maintain their relationships with suppliers and customers.

"It also sends a strong message that Christchurch businesses, despite dealing with disruptive circumstances, are continuing to be viable," said Key.

The facilities at the Westpac Business Hub will include:

- Office space and office furniture

- Telecommunications, wireless networking and video-conferencing facilities

- Meeting rooms, break-out areas and a corporate lounge

- Access to business support service, including legal and accounting advisors.

Westpac will be announcing the application process for businesses wanting to use the Hub in mid-April. The Hub is likely to open for around 18 months.

News that those 4 blocks of the cbd around Cashel Street Mall will be up and running by 29th October is great. Something to focus on.

Just in time for cup week, leading up to Christmas.

Until then a couple more blocks of the cbd centred around Victoria Street and also Avon Loop will reopen to residents and business owners over the next couple of days.

Someone should make a compendium of buildings (with pic where available) that are facing the wrecking ball.

Reopening the earthquake-damaged Christchurch Town Hall and Convention Centre is critical to the city's economic recovery, the venue manager says.

Both central-city venues, which generate millions of dollars in visitor spending annually, will remain closed until early next year.

City leaders yesterday vowed to repair them.

A preliminary assessment released yesterday confirmed the Kilmore St buildings suffered significant structural damage in the February 22 quake.

The Town Hall was hardest hit in the Limes Room-Boaters wing, which separated about 10 centimetres from the main structure, and the floors of the James Hay Theatre and the auditorium were damaged.

Flooding in the Town Hall basement cut power to the building and hampered assessment work.

The Convention Centre suffered moderate structural damage and extensive damage to floors from liquefaction.

Bryan Pearson, chief executive of Vbase, which runs the venues, said detailed assessments would not be completed until next month.

Reopening the two venues, along with AMI Stadium, was critical to Christchurch's economic recovery, he said.

Vbase venues host 1800 events each year and bring in between $60 million and $100m in visitor spending.

"The many entertainment events the venues host will raise spirits by giving our community something to look forward to in these challenging times," Pearson said.

Mayor Bob Parker said the Town Hall was one of Christchurch's "great architectural icons".

"We need a clear understanding of the scale of work required to preserve this wonderful building. We are determined to ensure the Town Hall continues to be one of the defining features of our city," he said.

The Convention Centre was an important tourist drawcard, Parker said.

"It plays a vital role in attracting business and tourism, and we need to move quickly to make sure Christchurch has a large-scale facility to drive this important business," he said.

Pearson said Vbase had replacement insurance for all venues and operating equipment, as well as comprehensive business-interruption insurance.

Christchurch teacher Shaun Taylor, who was in the Town Hall auditorium when the February quake struck, said he was not surprised, having seen the damage, that repairs would take so long.

He said he had not believed he was going to make it out alive. "It was damn scary. We had to get out or we would have been killed in there."

'Organ anxiety'

The unknown fate of the Christchurch Town Hall's pipe organ has left its guardian feeling "extremely anxious".

Venue manager Vbase has been unable to assess the hall's Rieger organ and may not be able to for several weeks until power to the building is restored.

City organ curator Martin Setchell said he had been waiting for information on the instrument's condition.

"The stress of not knowing is really quite severe," he said. "The trouble when you don't get clear information is that rumours start flying around, and that's worrying too."

The organ's builder, Austrian-based Rieger, had been been working on an enhancement in Christchurch at the time of the February 22 quake.

The organ was "pretty sturdy" and not a single pipe was displaced in the September quake, he said.

"Given Rieger's high-class workmanship, it's likely to have survived as well as any organ could have survived."

Rieger's team had left the city, but would have to return to complete the work and repairs, Setchell said.

Stage one of the Town Hall conservation and refurbishment project was under way at the time of the quake, but work had been suspended. The Christchurch Art Gallery had successfully protected or removed the artworks from the Town Hall, Vbase said.

- The Press

Hallo, I have been scrolling through a site called Reimagine Christchurch. There were quite a large number of ideas floated, a common theme appears to be having a cbd which is entertainment and culture based, with a strong emphasis on pedestrian and cycling as well as public transport. I feel that having another city centre which could take the burden from the existing cbd, should something happen again would be a good option.

Nah, people know the city. No point honestly - totally a waste of moolah. The city with (as you've pointed out) emphasis on entertainment, culture, pedestrianisation and cycling/PT are among my fave options :) AND BRING UC BACK TO TOWN <3

I have a strong feeling that we may see a satellite city designed for up to 50,000 people put on the drawing board at the very least.

Nah, people know the city. No point honestly - totally a waste of moolah. The city with (as you've pointed out) emphasis on entertainment, culture, pedestrianisation and cycling/PT are among my fave options :) AND BRING UC BACK TO TOWN <3

:lol: the UC was my suggestion, I'm David the kiwi :banana: I did think it would pull in some more votes than it's got, only 68 at the moment.

There are some good ideas, but I could think of more. There are also some very dumb once as well :nuts:

Reopening the earthquake-damaged Christchurch Town Hall and Convention Centre is critical to the city's economic recovery, the venue manager says.

Both central-city venues, which generate millions of dollars in visitor spending annually, will remain closed until early next year.

City leaders yesterday vowed to repair them.

A preliminary assessment released yesterday confirmed the Kilmore St buildings suffered significant structural damage in the February 22 quake.

The Town Hall was hardest hit in the Limes Room-Boaters wing, which separated about 10 centimetres from the main structure, and the floors of the James Hay Theatre and the auditorium were damaged.

Flooding in the Town Hall basement cut power to the building and hampered assessment work.

The Convention Centre suffered moderate structural damage and extensive damage to floors from liquefaction.

Bryan Pearson, chief executive of Vbase, which runs the venues, said detailed assessments would not be completed until next month.

Reopening the two venues, along with AMI Stadium, was critical to Christchurch's economic recovery, he said.

Vbase venues host 1800 events each year and bring in between $60 million and $100m in visitor spending.

"The many entertainment events the venues host will raise spirits by giving our community something to look forward to in these challenging times," Pearson said.

Mayor Bob Parker said the Town Hall was one of Christchurch's "great architectural icons".

"We need a clear understanding of the scale of work required to preserve this wonderful building. We are determined to ensure the Town Hall continues to be one of the defining features of our city," he said.

The Convention Centre was an important tourist drawcard, Parker said.

"It plays a vital role in attracting business and tourism, and we need to move quickly to make sure Christchurch has a large-scale facility to drive this important business," he said.

Pearson said Vbase had replacement insurance for all venues and operating equipment, as well as comprehensive business-interruption insurance.

Christchurch teacher Shaun Taylor, who was in the Town Hall auditorium when the February quake struck, said he was not surprised, having seen the damage, that repairs would take so long.

He said he had not believed he was going to make it out alive. "It was damn scary. We had to get out or we would have been killed in there."

- The Press

Thats all very well, but there is surprisingly little being said about the hotel inventory in ChCh. My understanding is that less than 20% of the CBD hotel rooms are in a state of being able to accomodate guests at the moment, and that upwards of 40% wont be online for up to 2-3 years. The balance will either fall into the second category or be pulled down altogether.

I can understand the need not to talk down the regions capabilities etc as not to completely ruin demand etc but a convention centre for arguments sake is fairly pointless without the supporting hotel infrastructure?

I have a strong feeling that we may see a satellite city designed for up to 50,000 people put on the drawing board at the very least.

Surely that's the last thing Christchurch should be allowing at this stage? It would rip the heart of the city, in much the same was a big box retailing is doing it to cities across the country right now.

I have a strong feeling that we may see a satellite city designed for up to 50,000 people put on the drawing board at the very least.

Rolleston? They've already started on that idea

:lol: the UC was my suggestion, I'm David the kiwi :banana: I did think it would pull in some more votes than it's got, only 68 at the moment.

There are some good ideas, but I could think of more. There are also some very dumb once as well :nuts:

Looks like you're not the only one with that idea:

Parker wants university moved into city's heart

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says he would like to bring the University of Canterbury back into the heart of the city as part of the earthquake rebuild.

Parker was asked on TV ONE's Close Up tonight if he has a vision for the city, in the way San Francisco's then mayor, Art Agnos, looked to the future after the big quake there in 1989.

Parker said Christchurch first of all has to be the safest city seismically, and the opportunity should be taken to make it as clean and green as possible.

His real wish was for the university to be brought back into the city.

"My real wish is I'd like to bring the university back into the heart of the city and establish an extraordinary precinct which would tie together the university, CPIT (Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology) and a number of other educational institutions," he said.

The university is situated in the suburb of Ilam, but the campus used to be at what is now the Arts Centre in the central city. The historic Arts Centre buildings were badly damaged by the quake.

Parker said he also wants to see the commercial heart of the city given the opportunity to return "and a city which carries with it a quality of beauty and amenity reflecting the history and the garden nature of Christchurch."

....

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/parker-wants-university-moved-into-city-s-heart-4113611

Looks like you're not the only one with that idea:

Hoorah - I'm glad the Mayor is on to it!!!!:banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:

Move the uni back downtown? Excellent idea. Or at least, a campus.

The reality is there will be huge areas vacant around Lichfield/Madras/Manchester- a blank canvas. Im certain the CCC, UC, govt (heck, even some developers!) can get it together on this one.

Move the uni back downtown? Excellent idea. Or at least, a campus.

The reality is there will be huge areas vacant around Lichfield/Madras/Manchester- a blank canvas. Im certain the CCC, UC, govt (heck, even some developers!) can get it together on this one.


Sydenham is where the obvious amount of land exists for UofC, and Lichfield, Madras etc is where those students should be living

As a uni student, I think it is great as an idea, but practically it would never work. the current campus is fine, and what would happen to it if the uni moved?
also who would pay for the new buildings? I would doubt the uni would pay for it, and I would imagine the taxpayers wouldn't like the idea so much if they had to pay for it.

as an idea it is great, but in reality, I don't think it would work.

The Uni has not got enough money to build all their new "schools" they want at Ilam. They have ran out of money, and have a lot of borrowings too. So there is no way they can afford a whole new campus that will cost billions to replace everything. Plus it will be a huge waste of investment over 40 years at Ilam. I think it be better to have a lot more housing/apartments in these empty city blocks that will bring customers to the inner city bussiness as well which will be good for the recovery. Lets bring on the re-Building soon.

As a uni student, I think it is great as an idea, but practically it would never work. the current campus is fine, and what would happen to it if the uni moved?
also who would pay for the new buildings? I would doubt the uni would pay for it, and I would imagine the taxpayers wouldn't like the idea so much if they had to pay for it.

as an idea it is great, but in reality, I don't think it would work.

In reality, it would work just fine, and is one of the few (if not the only) ideas that could turn the CBD back into a living city

In practise, it's just money, and in the context of rebuilding a city and the billions involved it's really not all that much money

Bob Parker had a visionary approach when initially elected. Much of his vision for the city was for the next 20 years. Aside from population predictions, which could go out the window because of this quake, the quake has certainly opened the door to bring in the sort of changes which would have intially taken decades. Maybe light rail/commuter rail aren't such pipe dreams after all. It now appears Bob's vision to some extent can materialize much quicker. Sadly at such a tragic cost.

regarding the uni in the city plan, two questions:

who pays for it?

to build the same amount of space in a different location would cost billions of dollars. the total floor space at the uni is HUGE.

what happens to the existing campus?

the existing campus is purpose built for the university, so a lot of it (lecture theatres for example) can't really be used for anything else.

regarding the uni in the city plan, two questions:

who pays for it?

to build the same amount of space in a different location would cost billions of dollars. the total floor space at the uni is HUGE.

what happens to the existing campus?

the existing campus is purpose built for the university, so a lot of it (lecture theatres for example) can't really be used for anything else.

I think you are completely missing the big picture

Moving the university out of the city was the worst mistake Chch ever made.

The greatest fear for young New Zealanders is the prospect of living in a city apartment, a United Nations survey has found.

Eight thousand people aged 18 to 35 in 20 countries were interviewed about their hopes and fears, but young Kiwis were the only ones to list a city apartment as a major fear.
...

National MP Nicky Wagner said the findings could affect the Christchurch rebuild.

"The timing is perfect as we are looking at rebuilding Christchurch. We need to rebuild with our eyes on the future," she said.

God we are so screwed... it's looking less and less likely that we are going to get any new neighbourhoods with any street life or character. Just more surburban flight.

I think you are completely missing the big picture

Moving the university out of the city was the worst mistake Chch ever made.
Unfortunately it is a major science and engineering university and those disciplines require large laboratory spaces. Not practical in the city. Ilam is the best place for it.

UoA Engineering school is in the city campus.

UoA Engineering school is in the city campus.

And every time someone from there comes down to see us they do nothing but moan about the lack of space and how lucky we are.

They can keep science and engineering out in Ilam, and bring humanities, business and law back into the city. Yes, it complicates things for a small number of people who would have to shuttle back and forth, but with strong bus links not insurmountably.

When is that Wendys going to be rebuilt? I'm gutted i was only able to go there once, such good food.

And every time someone from there comes down to see us they do nothing but moan about the lack of space and how lucky we are.

That's interesting to hear. I've never experienced any lack of space when it comes to laboratories. The Engineering Building is quite big, with most of the lab spaces in the basement.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/5007096/Christchurchs-10-000-plus-ideas

More than 10,000 people have put forward their ideas for a reborn Christchurch, with Mayor Bob Parker saying "this is just the start".

Cantabrians swamped the weekend's Share an Idea expo to help recreate the earthquake-shattered city.

Parker said the ideas from would be compiled over the next few weeks ahead of a community forum exploring common themes.

He said he was bowled over by the size of the turnout and the breadth of the ideas, given the city was "still in the middle of an ongoing earthquake event".

The city's CBS Canterbury Arena was packed as thousands used crayons, Post-it notes, videos, Lego and paper forms to share their concepts for rebuilding the central city.

"Council staff will be engaging with the community in a number of ways during the weeks and months to come," Parker said.

"This central city plan will only truly be successful if the people of this city are behind it."

Eighteen speakers led the expo discussions.

New Zealand Institute of Architects Canterbury chairman Jasper van der Lingen suggested that areas prone to liquefaction be turned into parks and that the city return to low-level buildings.

Christchurch City Council principal urban design adviser Hugh Nicholson said the proposals would be checked for common themes, although any single idea could be picked out and used.

He wanted the public to be allowed to walk through the cordoned "red zone" at some stage, adding: "It's certainly worse than the pictures will indicate".

Ballantynes managing director Mary Devine said the central city needed an environment that attracted businesses, retailers, visitors and residents.

"It's not a commercial story on its own.

"It's not about retail, it's not about residents – it's about all of us having an interest together," she said.

Devine said officials should stop or limit suburban-mall development, while central-city retailers would need to distinguish themselves from larger shopping centres.

"We've been there for 150 years, and it's our intention to be there for another 150 years," she said.

Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce chief executive Peter Townsend called on officials to make "radical" decisions during rebuilding.

He said residents needed to understand the scale of the devastation, which he believed would take "five to 10 years" to rectify.

"If you looked at demolishing two to three hotels in a city, you would say that's a massive job. We've got 1000 buildings to deal with.

Ad Feedback "The dream is to have an iconic city, a worldwide iconic city. If we just go back to doing what we did before, if we just build tilt slabs or a car park, we will be cursed by future generations who will say, `You had an opportunity to do something and you blew it'."

New Zealand Green Building Council chief executive Alex Cutler said there were economic, environmental and social reasons for choosing environmentally friendly buildings.

The productivity rate of those working in green buildings was much higher than normal buildings, while the buildings were cheaper to run and had a higher value.

New Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority chief executive Roger Sutton was impressed with the weekend event.

"I thought the city council did a great job. Clearly, there's a lot of enthusiasm from a lot of people and a genuine desire to make this a better place than we had before," he said.

"I was impressed. There was also the acknowledgement that people have great ideas but that nobody has a monopoly on ideas."

Parker said a team of about 40 would today begin the huge task of compiling the ideas to gatherthe main themes.

"The highlight for me was just seeing thousands of people," he said. "I mean, here we are still in the middle of an ongoing earthquake event and there they were, thousands of people despite the fact that we should be ground down by this."

More on expoA4-A5

- The Press

Keep posting your ideas boys!!! We don't have much time before they will stop taking them and will start working through them all.

New Zealand Institute of Architects Canterbury chairman Jasper van der Lingen suggested that areas prone to liquefaction be turned into parks and that the city return to low-level buildings.



Why is it that everyone wants a low rise city now? What do they plan to do with the lightly damaged and undamaged tall ones? Demolish them so that they fit the new look? What will the owners say? What about the 12 story high cathedral spire? Don't rebuild that either? Utter rubbish. Lets build them better not smaller.

I agree about the parks thing though.

+1. I agree with you 100% Paulsy

Agreed - low density is going to a suburban feel - there's a reason central cities are fun and exciting places to be - DENSITY!

I would hope at minimum there would be the kind of 2-3 storey developments that we saw in the planned Sydenham Square site:

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQPo6HMYkERqpxZ2FZkau_2L1rguzgA5vuAPWzium3qoYQxpqAT&t=1

To create a mixed use environment with offices and apartments above shops, restaurants and cafes.

The director of a Danish architecture firm that will help to prepare the central city redevelopment plan says successful cities are "all about people".

Two experts from Gehl Architects, the firm of Danish urban designer Jan Gehl, arrived in Christchurch last week to help the Christchurch City Council's urban-design team prepare the plan.

Gehl sparked controversy last year with a report to the council that advocated a more pedestrian and cycle-friendly central city.

Gehl Architects director David Sim was one of the most popular speakers at the Share An Idea expo at the CBS Arena at the weekend.

He promised residents that the firm would not "dictate anything" as the plan was prepared.

"My job is to listen, to find out what you want to do, and to do everything I can to help you to do that."

The firm, which had worked on many projects around the world, had found that cities needed to be planned around people, Sim said.

"Some people do the buildings first, then the traffic, then the parking spaces, then they hope the people come along at the end. That's not right – it's all about people.

"You have to imagine: 'What will this place look like when you walk about it? What will it look like at eye level?"'

Planners also needed to consider what the city centre would look like throughout the year, rather than in ideal conditions.

"The artist's impression is always on a wonderful sunny day in December, but what does it look like on a miserable day in June?"

Lanes, enclosed courtyards and low-rise buildings could help add intimacy to a city centre, while big buildings had the opposite effect, Sim said.

"We're often tempted to add 10 metres just to be sure, make things a bit bigger just to be sure, but if you do that you lose the intimate spaces," he said.

Other important factors were better accessibility, high density, and ensuring that the city centre had "something for everyone".

"When you go out in the street, you want to see young people, old people, teenagers, businesspeople, everybody using the street."

Speaking after his presentation, Sim said the firm was "really not anti-car", but wanted to see more transport options in the central city.

"Everybody at some time is pedestrian, whether you're getting off your bike and out of your car, and we have to respect that."

While some businesses had expressed concerns about Gehl's earlier report, Sim said the firm's ideas were focused on bringing customers into the city.

"Why do we have towns; why do we have cities? Because they're economic platforms ... [and] the more quality time people spend in the city, the more money they will spend."

Christchurch's strengths were its flat landscape, which made it suitable for walking and cycling, and its "sublime" landscape.

"Coming as an outsider, I was really flabbergasted at how beautiful Christchurch is. There's this grid with this wiggly river that runs through it, and this huge park right next to it, and then there are these views of the mountains, and it's really quite incredible."

Sim said he had received positive feedback from residents who attended his presentation, with many sharing "really intelligent, sensible, forward-looking ideas" with him.

- The Press

+2 I agree with you Paulsy!!

Some people are vehemently opposed to anything over 3 stories. Dear lord. I thought Cantabrians were tough and stoic. Or at least thats the image they like to project. Yet too scared to be more than 20 metres above ground. Excuse my French but thats pussies talking. Sad, just sad that some have that view.

I'll say again I have no qualms about living and working off the ground. I was fine with it before Sept and Feb, and Im equally fine with it now. Thankfully Ive heard some people agreeing with me.

Well, I think it's very sad that Christchurch has lost some amazing heritage gems.

But I think it is time now to celebrate the buildings that remain. How can Christchurch incorporate them into the new urban fabric of the CBD?

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-kaQ0nsmI/AAAAAAAA0gU/w4e9nzn7KHY/s576/ROSS2514-1D3_pt.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-lzgxkiZI/AAAAAAAA0js/v259f70ec8s/s576/ROSS2553-1D4.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-l400yp6I/AAAAAAAA0j4/xj4VVPS4_fs/s576/ROSS2528-1D3.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-l9d1T3FI/AAAAAAAA0kA/Q2_Rh4XD1Ew/s576/ROSS2555-1D4.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-mAa6GWvI/AAAAAAAA0kI/g3S-fQydJJo/s576/ROSS2556-1D4_pt.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-nLtw-afI/AAAAAAAA0ms/kAr4ScMkJu0/s1152/ROSS2576-1D4.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-nVj2NzcI/AAAAAAAA0nM/BjWqmz139yM/s1024/ROSS2584-1D4_pt.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-nXzh2mbI/AAAAAAAA0nU/BMEoUJ4mIQ4/s1152/ROSS2585-1D4_pt.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-hJgDqwdI/AAAAAAAA0YA/byh_HlMTrXU/s1152/ROSS2500-1D4_pt.JPG

Some of the facades could be saved:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-lYRylH0I/AAAAAAAA0is/enmo-DuxggY/s1152/ROSS2545-1D4_pt.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-lOkB-f1I/AAAAAAAA0iQ/g8OA0HsxCWI/s1024/ROSS2541-1D4.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-gHRubXGI/AAAAAAAA0Vg/BhuSJehP-X0/s912/ROSS2481-1D4_pt.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-gQ_3UqhI/AAAAAAAA0V8/8LDxOcuDG08/s576/ROSS2486-1D4.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-iL4zBL9I/AAAAAAAA0a0/OtMkr7oU_JI/s800/ROSS2490-1D3_pt.JPG



I'm sure a lot of these buildings have structural problems, but they look like they could be saved! :cheers:

Dude - where did you get those pictures from? Have you been in the Red Zone?

Thanks for putting them up.

I agree, all the heritage that can be saved should and be incorporated into the new city build. Those buildings should be restored to the full dignity that they once had.

Photos appear to be from this album: https://picasaweb.google.com/RossBeckerNZ/2011April27IntoTheChristchurchRedZone#slideshow/5602376652662480546

That album is very interesting but also tragic to look at. A good look into the red zone!!!

Weird they didn't snap the building to the left with Dose in it:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_vY3kwB7QIcs/Tb-lzgxkiZI/AAAAAAAA0js/v259f70ec8s/s576/ROSS2553-1D4.JPG

It's one of my favourites. It's got an oldschool elevator in it. I'd like to use it, but not having legitimate business to, I'd be scared of getting told off.

Photos appear to be from this album: https://picasaweb.google.com/RossBeckerNZ/2011April27IntoTheChristchurchRedZone#slideshow/5602376652662480546

Thanks very much for this link - it's shocking to see the damage - but I couldn't help but feel so excited inside about what will rise from all this rubble. It does make you realise how many ugly buildings and bad urban planning has gone on in CHC.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/5080960/City-trams-back-on-track

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/5080960/City-trams-back-on-track

$100,000 for a shed? WTF?

The tram is an asset to the city. While it maybe mouthballed, it will probably be used occaissionally until it is eventually put back in service.

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/rebuilding-christchurch-%E2%80%93-without-cbd-ck-94712

Christchurch engineering firm Structex says there are a potential 50 to 100 large building sites it could work on in the quake-damaged city and it has been talking with property owners about structural solutions.

The engineer behind such sites as the Southern Cross Hospital Endoscopy building, the HSBC Club Tower in Worcester St and the 23-storey Pacific Tower (containing the Marque Hotel) in Gloucester St says there is no problem with properly constructed high-rise buildings in the city.

However, such construction would be driven by whether property developers wanted to again develop high rise and whether they could attract tenants into these building in the post-September 4 and February 22 quake environment, chief executive Justin Davies said.

In terms of potential work around the city, the firm was up against competitors, he said.

But Structex was in talks on "50 to 100 sites ... we're just talking with building owners and landowners now. They're the ones that are likely to happen. By the day at the moment new projects are getting confirmed."

Both the HSBC and Pacific Tower buildings had fared "particularly well" in those earthquakes, Davies said.

"As a structural engineer, we are confident in the high-rise structures – HSBC tower and Pacific Tower are examples of high-rise buildings that stood up well in the earthquake ...

"In principle there's no issue with high-rise buildings. I think what will be the issue is tenant-driven demand."

Meanwhile, Structex was involved in post-quake projects including ongoing stabilisation work during the demolition of the Hotel Grand Chancellor and the structural engineering design services for a new 5000-square-metre Kathmandu distribution centre.

Subcontracted to Fletcher Construction, Structex would be involved in a detailed assessment of the Hotel Grand Chancellor's condition to determine the level and method of stabilisation required before the dismantling began.

Other factors would include consulting with seismologists to determine the probability and magnitude of large aftershocks during the deconstruction period. The safety of workers would be a significant consideration in the exercise, Davies said.

"We'll look at developing a plan to reinforce what needs to reinforced so that the deconstruction process can get under way."

Structex started about eight years ago and used a single brand across four component businesses including one located in Lyttelton with a total of 28 staff, Davies said.

To deal with earthquakes, buildings like the Southern Cross building used cutting-edge seismic design including a series of cables at the joint areas of steel columns and beams to snap the structure back into shape after a quake. "It binds the building together and it effectively acts like an elastic band to straighten things up once the shaking is all set and done," he said.

Ad Feedback The design for the Kathmandu warehouse building had altered since the February earthquake to take account of the new seismic load requirements added to the Building Code on May 19. In addition, Structex had incorporated an enhanced foundation system to better protect the structure against future potential ground movement.

- BusinessDay.co.nz

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/5130649/Christchurch-gets-its-man:lol:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/5130649/Christchurch-gets-its-man

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/corin-dann-why-shaky-chch-needs-wealthy-farmers-4226417

In a plan fast-tracked because of the earthquakes, developers want to build a subdivision bigger than Hagley Park on the outskirts of Christchurch.

The proposal would create 2400 sections on a 180-hectare site bordered by the suburb of Redwood to the west, Hills and Hawkins Rds to the east, the Styx River to the north, and Queen Elizabeth II Drive to the south.

The developers have taken an option to buy the land, known as the Mills Hills block, from its 15 individual owners.

They are now working to have the rural land rezoned for housing and to get resource consents.

The site was identified by Environment Canterbury in 2009 as suitable for new housing, along with land around Belfast.

A spokesman for the developers, Roy Hamilton, said there could be houses on the site within 18 months of winning approval.

The subdivision would be called Highfield and would be bigger than Northwood and nearly as large as the proposed Prestons housing development further east. Like Prestons, it would be bisected by Prestons Rd.

"After the earthquake, we saw the potential for loss of land on the eastern side of town. We want to make this land available as soon as possible," Hamilton said.

The site suffered no significant liquefaction during the earthquakes, but Hamilton said it would still have to be prepared for housing in line with today's requirements by compacting or filling.

Hamilton said the developers wanted to be "ready to go" if the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority decided to shift large amounts of housing away from liquefaction-prone areas. If there was no major relocation, he expected the project would still go ahead, but at a slower pace.

The development company, known as Highfield Park, would sell all sites as house and land packages rather than bare sections. It planned to stage the subdivision to meet demand.

The design includes a mixture of housing densities, a retirement village, and four commercial areas, which could house shops, cafes or childcare centres. To carry stormwater, a central reserve with a swale and ponds would run through the site.

The land, alongside the planned route of the new northern motorway, is worth around $25 million at today's prices.

If the Highfield project goes ahead, it would be one of several housing developments either onstream or in the pipeline for Christchurch.

Prestons at Marshland, the largest with 2500 sections and 200 hectares, has been proposed by a consortium of Ngai Tahu, land developer CDL Ltd, and supermarket owner Foodstuffs.

The Prestons site is outside Environment Canterbury's chosen housing area, but the Christchurch City Council has delayed a decision until more is known about the future of the damaged eastern suburbs.

Major housing development is also under way in Ngai Tahu's Wigram Skies subdivision on the old Wigram Airfield and the Masham block near Yaldhurst, while the new town of Pegasus now has 400 residents.

In all, there are now more than 15 new subdivisions in Christchurch and surrounding areas, including Prebbleton and Lincoln.

- The Press

^^ I suppose its needed but that such a nice rural area.

Hate speawl, but then if we are returning allegedly 50% of the Eastern Suburbs back to nature maybe it cancels itself out.

They've talked about how 10,000 homes will be demolished - well they also had a goal of 30,000 new residences within the four avenues. Obviously plans will have changed, but still, what an opportunity to get people in there, not replacing sprawl with sprawl.

The start of some good news for the future! Thanks Otago :banana::banana:

University of Otago has plans for a new multimillion-dollar building in Christchurch.

The university's council has approved plans to build a multi-storey building within the next five years near the existing Otago School of Medicine building at Christchurch Hospital.

The new building is likely to house laboratories, hospital-based departments and office space.

The existing building will be refitted to meet the needs of teachers.

The dean and head of campus of the University of Otago, Christchurch Professor Peter Joyce, said plans for a new building had been in the pipeline for almost 10 years.

While no agreements had been signed, the St Andrews Wilson Parking car park, on the corner of Oxford Tce and Tuam St, was the preferred site for the building. However, he said if this site fell through then there were other options.

"It's exciting because it's finally being recognised as a priority and the university has approved plans and the council is saying it's on their list of priority buildings to build over the next five years."

Joyce said staff and students had outgrown the current building with the February earthquake highlighting the department's shortfalls.

New labs were a priority because the current ones "were designed and built in the 70s".

"The earthquake definitely presented us with some challenges – some departments are now working out of temporary premises ... we're in a lot of leased premises at the moment."

The present building, on Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) land, would not reopen until August after suffering moderate damage in February's quake.

Lectures were being held in the Hagley Golf Club and other venues.

The new building, which would likely cost tens of millions, would address the overall needs of the medical department, he said.

"The site was identified as a priority pre-earthquake so now it's just a case of how soon can we get started ...

"It's something that will be part of the rebuild of Christchurch."

No architectural plans had been drafted yet but Joyce said the building would "surely be built to very high standards".

"It's my understanding that a building which is built in the same way as Christchurch Women's Hospital is probably what we'll be looking at – experts are saying that's a strong model to follow."

However, he said there were some "commercially sensitive issues" to work through.

"The land is owned by the Christchurch Presbyterian Church and they're not too keen on selling it," he said.

The university would prefer to buy the land but could negotiate a reliable long-term lease, Joyce said. Discussions were still in the preliminary stages.

The moderator for the Christchurch Presbytery, Martin Stewart, said plans for a building on the St Andrews site was "news to him".

"I'm part of the approving body that would approve something of this nature but I haven't heard anything as of yet."

The first Otago medical students began working in the present building in 1973.

The project would progress in conjunction with the CDHB and would "fit into hospital expansion plans", Joyce said.

- The Press

So heard a few whispers on the new city plan this week...

From what I'm led to believe, the Gehl report has been a heavy influence and existing city streets will be pedestrianised as will several bridges across the Avon. It also sounds like Oxford Tce will be shut from the boatsheds/hospital through to at least Victoria Square.

It also apparently includes the usual discussions around reducing traffic in the CBD, although hopefully includes some solutions to getting people to come to town if they can't park there (cf. copious parking at Malls)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/5222591/Green-light-for-160m-resort

Am very interested to see what ideas they came up with.

Design challenge for CHristchurch rebuild

Ideas for the redesign of Christchurch will continue to fly thick and fast at Lincoln University today as 115 design professionals enter day two of a 48-hour design challenge.

The challenge was organised by the Christchurch City Council as part of its efforts to gather ideas on how to rebuild the damaged central city.

The council has selected five key sites in the central city and assigned three design teams to each of them.

Four of the selected sites are within the red zone and include the Cathedral Square and BNZ Building, 160 Gloucester Street, the Orion NZ Building at 203 Gloucester Street, and 90 Armagh Street, including the Avon River and Victoria Square. The fifth site, which sits outside the Red Zone, is the former Christchurch Women's Hospital at 885 Colombo Street.

"We're really looking for the teams to 'wow' us," said Michael Theelen, from the Christchurch City Council's central city project team.

"This is a great opportunity for us to pull knowledge and experience from a range of professionals with the collaborative goal of improving the future of our central city."

One member from each team was taken into the red zone yesterday so they could visit the sites for themselves and see the extent of the issues facing the city.

Neil Challenger, the head of Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture, said there was a "ghostly feel" in the red zone but he believed the city could bounce back. He is a leading team coming up with ideas for site at 160 Gloucester Street.

"This is more than just a paper exercise," said Challenger. "This city needs ideas ... and hopefully some of the ideas that we come up with here this weekend will be so inspiring and exciting that people will say we have to do this."

Each of the ideas presented at the end of the 48 hour challenge will be assessed by an eight-strong judging panel, which includes noted architect Andrew Patterson, the only New Zealand architect to be internationally recognised for Sustainable Innovation in Architecture, and Alex Cutter, the chief executive of the New Zealand Green Building Council.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/5223147/Visions-of-Avons-future

what a great idea the Avon Park concept is. And all the suggestions that people have added: a lake for rowing and recreation, wetlands for birdlife, areas set a side for picnics and walking, cycleways, etc etc Living in the North Island, it has to be said the Christchurch is a little lacking in native flora and fauna, not that that is such an issue as I love the English trees that make Christchurch unique, but it is and opportunity to have both. And yes I believe a formal memorial plaque or garden with the names of those who perished in the quake must be incorporated. This is indeed a great opportunity to create a large "green" area right on the city doorstep for all to enjoy and remember. I cant for the life of me figure out why Mr Brownlee would scourn the idea! Why on earth would he think it needs to be "re-engineered" and returned to housing?? who would want to live there?? why test nature for a 2nd time?? Sometimes I think he just doesn't get it - he doesn't really think things through and really look at what would be best for the people involved. The less involvement he has with the rebuilding of Christchurch the better.

I can remember that area being very boggy as kid growing up. South Brighton was just over the bridge. There is a facebook page on this idea which is gaining quite a bit of support.

This is a good idea and for Brownlee to dismiss it instantly without any consultation with the existing community proves that he is a tool.

http://www.facebook.com/AvonRiverPark?sk=info

You can view the presentations of the 48 Hour design challenge HERE (http://www.ccc.govt.nz/homeliving/civildefence/chchearthquake/ShareAnIdea.aspx)

Looking at the projects, if I had to choose, what would I like these:
160 Gloucester Street...Project 3
Cathedral Square and BNZ...Project 2
90 Armagh Street...better to go ahead
Former Christchurch Women's Hospital...Project 2 or 3
Orion NZ Site... Project 3

Christchurch needs a smaller city centre, writes surveyor DAVID FOX.

* David Fox is a fellow of the NZ Institute of Surveyors with 50 years of experience in development projects in New Zealand and overseas. He was a member of the Environment Ministry working party that produced the Urban Design Protocol and is the Institute of Surveyors nominee to the Christchurch City Council's urban design panel.

The focus for the restoration and functioning of our city centre needs to be on the area between Lichfield, Madras, and Peterborough streets and Rolleston Ave.

This area is the oldest and most beautiful part of the city and it should be big enough to accommodate all of those businesses, companies and organisations who wish to operate from within the central business district.

The site for the city of Christchurch was selected by Captain Thomas in the late 1840s with the design and layout completed shortly thereafter - a seriously challenging task for Canterbury's first chief surveyor, who had to determine the location of the city, its urban form and have completed a detailed survey before the first four ships arrived in 1850.

The design for the new city was a model in its day. The diagonal High and Victoria streets created variety and allowed for linkages to Papanui, Linwood, Riccarton, Lincoln and beyond.

The fundamentally rectangular street layout that provided such good connectivity in its time was suited to the slow movement of horse-drawn transport "shanks's pony" and later the trams and trolley buses.

But with widespread ownership of cars since World War II the grid layout has headed into gridlock (think of Manchester St).

The form and function of the central city has changed dramatically over the past 30 years. The establishment of major shopping malls and more recently business premises at outlying places such as Riccarton, Papanui, Belfast and Marshland Rd have drawn shoppers and people away from the city centre.

Tourists and visitors have contributed significantly to pedestrian and shopping activity in the CBD, and wouldn't these streets would look a bit skinny without them.

Every metropolitan area needs a focal point, needs a city centre. Christchurch needs a city centre, a centre that encourages the wider population to go to town, that encourages those who worked in the CBD to return to what they so enjoyed - coffee in New Regent St, wine on The Strip etc - and also to create a place which encourages tourists to come and mix with us.

One of the terms used regularly in urban design literature is "spaces and places", and that is what we need to create. We need to create spaces and places within the city that people wish to visit and revisit.

The breadth and depth of diversity that one can find in the inner city is not something one can find in sterile shopping malls.

The adjoining areas between the one-way street system and the four avenues if developed more intensively for two to four-storey housing would create an increased population base that would interact with the city centre; areas that would complement and "feed off" one another.

The vision statement of the Urban Design Protocol document that was produced by the Ministry for the Environment in 2004 was "how to make towns and cities more successful through quality urban design".

The working party that produced the Urban Design Protocol and stimulated discussion on urban design issues came up with the mnemonic "The 7Cs".

This mnemonic lists a range of issues that start with the letter, C, and which rather cleverly cover (or can be stretched to cover) all of the urban design issues that should be addressed when assessing development proposals or urban renewal.

The 7Cs list: character; context; choice; creativity; connectivity; collaboration; and custodianship.

If each of these matters is considered in a liberal fashion, then good progress will be made in achieving a qualitative outcome.

While many buildings in the CBD have been very badly damaged there are also many outstanding buildings that have survived.

Hopefully buildings such as the Town Hall, the Convention Centre and the public library will be strengthened, refurbished and brought back to life and so enrich our lives.

Understandably there is strong mindset for low-rise two, three or four-storey buildings but will Christchurch not look a rather timid city if we only build to such minimal levels? (And this is the view of someone who was on the 13th floor of a building at 12.51pm on February 22, so knows the feeling.)

Wouldn't some slightly higher buildings add variety to the cityscape?

Geotechnical engineers stated "that technically high-rise buildings could be erected but from an economic point of view only mid-rise buildings of 6 to 12 stories are likely to be built. Apart from the economics, obtaining tenants for buildings in excess of, say, eight stories might be difficult in the short term.

A significant number of titles within the inner city were created more than 150years ago - many of these titles being both narrow and small in area have limitations from a redevelopment point of view. A solution would be to amalgamate say three or four of these titles to create larger sites that can be more easily developed. Individual property owners could participate in the redevelopment and retain their property interest by way of a unit title.

Traffic movement through the city is one of the most critical issues that needs to be resolved so that we can achieve a quieter more harmonious city centre not dominated by cars.

The outer four avenues work well, but we also need streets that provide easy access to the edge of the inner city.

While many people call for the one-way street system to be abolished, it is possible that only Durham and Montreal streets that pass through the smaller CBD area need to be addressed.

The grid system that we have in the CBD does not work with so many streets having equal status. The city needs to have a hierarchy of streets to avoid gridlock.

A city as flat as this should be teeming with cyclists, they should be safe, feel safe and of course enjoy safe cycling with a cycleway system spreading into the suburbs.

Above all the city centre needs to be populated and it needs as much activity as it can get as soon as possible.

A few things come quickly to mind: completion of the test cricket ground at Hagley would bring tourists into town regularly; get the standoff with the Arts Centre resolved so that the Dux de Lux (one of Christchurch's energy spots), can pulsate once again; create an international rowing course in the eastern red zone?

Fundamentally we need to create "spaces and places" that attract people to the city centre.

He thinks the one way arterials through the CBD arguably still have a place?

That one statement pretty much destroys any credibility he might otherwise have had!

Some points are good like the CBD needs to be more compact as its too spread out and even before the earthquakes there was far too many vacant lots everywhere as there is not enough demand for new developments to use up the land. The quakes have cleared more land which only makes the problem even worse some blocks have no buildins left standing. So with increasing supply of land and the drop in demand will see CBD land prices plummet which should help to address the issue a bit, as could be some great bargains to be had for developers. The big challenge for CHC is to attract the investors as they tend to always go for AKL and WLG and bypass our city. That's my 2 cents worth...

Some excellent points in David Fox's article.

A teensy bit more commerce returning. The Coffee House on Montreal Street reopened on the weekend! If only the Dux was open over the road to complement it.

Ngai Tahu Holdings Corporation is weighing up the property development opportunities in the reconstruction of Canterbury although it has been trying to diversify into other investment areas.

Ngai Tahu Holdings Corporation chairman Trevor Burt said the commercial arm of the Ngai Tahu iwi, the biggest iwi in the South Island, was thinking through opportunities such as residential and commercial property development.

In the city, Ngai Tahu's commercial buildings include the police headquarters and the courts buildings and a joint venture for the new Christchurch Civic Offices.

Burt said the whole residential market in Christchurch was changing. Ngai Tahu had had a longer-term view on some residential development such as Wigram Skies and Prestons Rd but that might become shorter term and those might be developed more quickly.

The corporation had set out a strategy to enlarge investments in areas other than property more quickly and diversify its investments, but was now also considering more property development. It had to weigh up what mix of property investments it had and what it had in Christchurch.

Having the Crown and local government as tenants had worked well for Ngai Tahu, he said.

The corporation was also examining the funding of developments other than through debt. Burt said other options included partnerships with local government, the Crown and the Super Fund.

The corporation's debt-to-debt-plus-equity ratio was about 18 per cent and the board did not want to go too much above that.

Yesterday the Bank of New Zealand announced that Ngai Tahu had appointed it as lead arranger of a $200 million loan facility, in which BNZ would arrange other banks to be part of the lending syndicate.

The $200m was refinancing of lending Ngai Tahu Holdings already had but the new facility would have different terms and be over a longer period.

BNZ institutional banker Craig Treder said these were prestigious appointments for banks. While they earned handsome fees overseas, they did not in New Zealand because of the smallness of the market. Nevertheless, there was keen competition for them.

BNZ has been Ngai Tahu's banking partner since 2001.

The corporation manages the commercial activities of the iwi and has more than $700m of assets. The iwi holds significant property investments throughout Christchurch and the wider South Island. It also has investments in aquaculture, fisheries, tourism, agriculture and forestry. Since 2003 its asset base has grown by almost $320m.

Ngai Tahu is the iwi comprised of Ngai Tahu whanui; that is, the collective of the individuals who descend from the five primary hapu of Ngai Tahu, Ngati Mamoe and Waitaha. They are Kati Kuri, Ngati Irakehu, Kati Huirapa, Ngai Tuahuriri and Ngai Te Ruahikihiki.

Realistically. When do y'all think that rebuilding can/will actually begin to take place? I mean with the current state of continuous aftershocks, I feel like demolition is the only progress we'll be seeing for quite some time.

Realistically. When do y'all think that rebuilding can/will actually begin to take place? I mean with the current state of continuous aftershocks, I feel like demolition is the only progress we'll be seeing for quite some time.


more importantly, with the near-total lack of leadership, not a lot of any interest is going to happen

Hopefully, the first new building project to come up in Christchurch after the earthquake will be an earthquake-resistant structure, a concept which people who live in Christchurch and New Zealand have never heard of.

Hopefully, the first new building project to come up in Christchurch after the earthquake will be an earthquake-resistant structure, a concept which people who live in Christchurch and New Zealand have never heard of.

That would be great and I hope you are right :cheers:

Hopefully, the first new building project to come up in Christchurch after the earthquake will be an earthquake-resistant structure, a concept which people who live in Christchurch and New Zealand have never heard of.

Not quite correct - the existing Christchurch Womens' Hospital is earthquake resistant - it sits on lead rubber bearings and I know that guys at both Canterbury and Victoria Universities have been doing work on earthquake resisting buildings for some time now.

I know Arrow have been building a buidling in Nelson that is earthquake resisting using wood (or a high-tech version called LVL) see here:http://www.arrowinternational.co.nz/industry_sector_detail.php?pid=68

http://static2.stuff.co.nz/1312199516/261/5373261.jpg

Up to 30,000 extra workers will be needed for the $30 billion Canterbury earthquake rebuild over the next five to 10 years.

That is the view of a new board set up to represent the Canterbury rebuild, with Government agencies represented as part of team.

The Canterbury Employment & Skills Board (CESB) aims to help find workers for the rebuild and streamline the skills and numbers needed during phases of the reconstruction of the heart of the Garden City.

The need for a dedicated board was recognised by Canterbury Development Corporation workforce strategy manager Simon Worthington and others involved in its setup.

He said the board had been formed to bring together all the pieces of the labour market into a sensible vehicle for the benefit of Canterbury.

"What we're trying to do is pull all those different agencies together so that we can make some sensible, effective decisions going forward,'' Worthington said.

Board chairman Carl Davidson said the 30,000 workers needed for the rebuild would come on top of the city's normal working population.

The skills board reported to the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, led by Roger Sutton, and would be responsible for the labour market component of the economic recovery programme the authority was putting together.

"What the skills board does is recognise the magnitude of the work force and skills demand that's going to be inherent in Christchurch over the next five to 10 years,’’ Davidson said.

The board would be focused on building skills and the labour market components.

This would be done in three phases - first, what the region needed to recover from the earthquake, then what would be needed to rebuild the city and, third, making sure that the rebuilt city went on to prosper, Davidson said.

"That's the stuff about how do we go about making sure we retain highly skilled people through the rebuild and how we eventually have the right skillset in place so that after we've rebuilt the city and all the rebuilding money is forced through the economy, we make sure we’re all prospering at the end of it,'' he said.

"Something like $30b is going to flow through Christchurch and Canterbury over the next 10 years. No-one knows the exact number, but somewhere around 30,000 additional workers are going to be needed for the rebuild ... When you think about that, you suddenly start seeing the scale of the problem.’’

Those represented on the board, which was meeting every two weeks at this point, included the Ministry of Social Development, Christchurch employment representatives, lawyers Lane Neave, the Canterbury District Health Board, the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, the Council of Trade Unions, Fletcher Building, Business New Zealand, the Department of Labour, Immigration New Zealand and Hewlett Packard.

The board had already formed an action plan that would develop into a strategic plan, including attracting and retaining the right people in the region, making sure that people from the education, unemployment and other markets transferred over into earthquake recovery employment market.

Also important was making sure that labour productivity aims were met. The board did not want to see skilled people working in non-skilled roles, or vice-versa.

"There's an awful lot of rebuild work that needs to be done, but actually a lot of the repair work isn't necessarily highly skilled,’’ Davidson said.

"For example, our house is cracked and it is going to need a lot of gib-fixing, a lot of sanding and a lot of paint work. Some of that work is going to be really high-skilled, some of it’s going to be semi-skilled, but a lot of it’s just going to be labour.

"So it doesn't make a lot of sense for us to employ well- skilled and quite expensive trades people to do jobs which can be done by people who aren't as well skilled."

- BusinessDay.co.nz

It appears that some of the highrise will remain, which means apart from the Grand Chancellor, the city will still have a skyline.

http://www.osapower.com/images/5-green-future-cities-3.jpg

http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2008/12/gwanggyo-city-centre-by-mvrdv-151-cam-canyon02.jpg

http://www.rebuildchristchurch.co.nz/blog/2011/6/a-residents-rebuild-vision

Life

1. A general zone plan for life activities should be developed with preferred business/leisure areas designated. Some zones should be specifically developed as people precincts but then allow normal business activities to grow around them.
2. One specific people precinct should be the Oxford Tce. side of the Avon River from the Bridge of Remembrance to the Madras St bridge. This needs to be pedestrian only with all traffic confined to the Cambridge Tce. side off the river. A mixed paved/green zone with restaurants and bars bordering it.
3. Along with the redeveloped Square, City Mall and Worcester Boulevard this will provide a wider location for festivals, street performances, etc. while restricting built up facilities on the less stable ground along the river.
4. A pedestrian precinct should be developed linking the public library and the centennial pool to this green zone.

Space

1. There is insufficient green area south of the central city. A Square needs to be developed to match Cranmer, Victoria and Latimer squares just south of the central square. Encouragement should be given to develop low rise apartments around each square with two or three (only) restaurants/bars at each square..
2. Demolish poor quality damaged heritage buildings and rebuild a selection of the best that represent the old city. These would include at least the two Cathedrals, the Arts Centre, the Provincial buildings and?????????????
3. The rebuild of the Cathedral should be close to its original form but NOT include the traditional spire. A new innovative glass glad spire could be incorporated beside the existing cathedral footprint (or maybe on the building itself) to complement the Chalice and have an architectural link to the Art Gallery in its constructional form. Provide internal public access to the spire by way of a glass lift.
4. Demolish the Science Centre building and replace with an iconic modern multifunctional building incorporating a bus/light rail link, a new Science Centre (the Glasgow Science Centre would be a good model), theatres and a hotel complex
5. Construct a science tower at the new Science Centre and provide a pulsed laser feature from this tower to the new Cathedral spire and a similar tower at the Arts Centre. This would provide a unique triangle of remembrance and dramatic night time display for the rebuilt city
6. Redevelop the inner city bridges and provide lighting effects to enhance the night time views of the Avon. .

Market

1. Develop public/private partnerships and incentives to encourage IT and technology businesses to cluster in the area of the Science Centre and the CPIT.
2. Encourage development of restaurants, gallerys, bars, etc along the Oxford Tce riverside development as suggested above
3. Dredge the Avon to deepen and provide more river activities along the stretch Madras to Cashel Mall.

Move

1.Redevelop the four Avenues with two more lanes on each to cater for cycles and trams. Maintain the tree planted median strip at all costs with innovative deigned overhead pedestrian walkways across the carriageways.
2. Create bus depots next to low rise car parking on each avenue with bus routes linked to the suburbs At each depot provide mini buses running continuously to the CBD.
3. Develop counter clockwise light rail/trams circling the city around the four avenues with their base at a redesigned Science Centre/depot linked to a lightrail system to Hornby, Lytellton, Northwood and beyond to Rolleston , Belfast and Pegasus (longer term).
4. To discourage traffic in the CDB charge a congestion fee for non essential/non business vehicular traffic inside the four avenues.

Not quite correct - the existing Christchurch Womens' Hospital is earthquake resistant - it sits on lead rubber bearings and I know that guys at both Canterbury and Victoria Universities have been doing work on earthquake resisting buildings for some time now.

I know Arrow have been building a buidling in Nelson that is earthquake resisting using wood (or a high-tech version called LVL) see here:http://www.arrowinternational.co.nz/industry_sector_detail.php?pid=68

The women's hospital must be the only earthquake-resistant structure in Christchurch, and you must have not built some additional ones before the earthquakes struck. The teardowns are what you get for not seismically retrofitting old useful buildings.

Most heritage buildings were retrofitted to be resistant to a 1-in-250 or, at most, 1-in-500 year earthquake. (The September quake was a 1-in-500 year event, and for the most part heritage buildings escaped with just some minor cosmetic damage).

The February quake was a 1-in-1000 year, possibly up to 1-in-2500 year event. I don't even think retrofitting a stone buildings to that level of resistance is possible.

Does anyone know of any buildings/ sites where actual tangible plans to rebuild exist, and have been announced?

(I mean, not wishful thinking stuff)

I think I saw one set of simple drawings for a restaurant on northern Colombo St. It was tilt-slab with a psuedo-Victorian image on one wall.

Not meaning to sound negative, but this is the rebuild thread, and I don't know of any tangible plans that exist yet for anything to be rebuilt. I'd be really interested to see any rebuild plans.

Lots of people in ChCh seem very keen to demolish heritage buildings so that a modern 21st Century city will arise from the ashes. I'm not sure why they are expecting that - maybe a few buildings.... I've been overseas for a while - I haven't yet seen any *actual* plans to rebuild anything. Fletchers bailed on saving the Press Building and blamed the council. It's been almost a year now since the first, big, one. Maybe I'm missing something...

Most areas where significant rebuilds are expected are still closed off with no definite date for reopening. Until we get a definite schedule it's unlikely any serious plans will be released unfortunately.

The key issue around starting the rebuild is the release of the new city plan, which is due out in draft form 16 August. The more people I talk too, the more I see how critical the new plan is for the rebuild of the CBD.

Whilst the content of the city plan and the changes it makes (or doesn't make) are important, the uncertainty that currently exists in its absence means that no meaningful rebuilding will occur until it is released, digested, submissions heard and finalised. The key reason for this is that nobody wants to be left out in the cold: Tenants will not commit to taking space in a building without knowing what part of town they're going to end up in and property owners will not commit to a new building without knowing the same and without tenants signing up. Whilst frustrating, this is the entirely correct thing to do.

I do know that many property owners have started the initial design phase for their new buildings, but are understandably reluctant to spend too much money on this work until they know whether the building will work in the new inner city plan or not. (more on this below)

Several ideas have leaked out that seem to have made it into the draft plan:
1. The idea of precincts, i.e. a medical precinct, a tech precinct, arts, education, financial etc. When you think about it, most of these have existing anchors (the hospital, CPIT, the arts centre/Art Gallery). There may even be some creative thinking around incentives to ensure these precincts develop (e.g. tax or rates breaks for tenants);
2. "5 mins walk to a green space from anywhere in town" given this is the Garden City, this is a no-brainer;
3. Parking buildings to ring the inner city, with roads designed to take people to town not through it or into it. Once there people will walk around the city. These are more likely to be in a Kilmore Street / Madras Street / Tuam Street setting rather than the traditional "4 Avenues" which was really too big an area for the CBD.
4. Closing some roads, particularly along the river where they carry very little traffic and would be better suited to pedestrians.

All indications are that the rebuilding will commence in earnest (well plans, marketing etc) at the end of the year/beginning of next year. But once its starts, this will be like nothing we've ever seen before in this country, the amount of rebuilding and money involved will mean that Christchurch will be like its own version of Dubai, but with more substance (good thing) and shorter buildings (not such a good thing)!


Fletchers bailed on saving the Press Building and blamed the council. It's been almost a year now since the first, big, one. Maybe I'm missing something...

Fletchers have nothing to do with the Press Building. The Building was one of NZ's first reinforced concrete structures and had zero modern EQ strengthening, as such it performed remarkably (with The Press moving to their new building, I think it was only months away from a complete overhaul starting). It also suffered from part of the neighbouring building falling onto it which probably tipped it over the edge. I understand the building that will replace it will be a proper modern building that will become as iconic as the old building. I will try and get some pictures of the concept and post here soon, but I'm excited.

As Tim rightly pointed out, the Sep quake was only really a 1-in-500 year event (where only the oldest and weakest really were destroyed), where the Feb one was more like a 1-in 2500 year event - so the clock really started from 22 Feb.

Thanks for this Foxy - you have come up trumps again :banana:

I am loving the the sound of this "Dubai inspired" rebuild.. I think the more we know about seismic activity and look objectively at what buildings are wrecked in these situations and what ones are fine, I think we all begin to accept that height has nothing to do with it. Pacific Towers being case in point (highest city structure - virtually unscathed!). We just need to ensure that all buildings from here on are built to the best earthquake standards we know and better - and yes lets build em good and high! Lets have the best skyline in the land!:banana:

All indications are that the rebuilding will commence in earnest (well plans, marketing etc) at the end of the year/beginning of next year. But once its starts, this will be like nothing we've ever seen before in this country, the amount of rebuilding and money involved will mean that Christchurch will be like its own version of Dubai, but with more substance (good thing) and shorter buildings (not such a good thing)!

Of course I wish that were true. However I know of central city building owners who are waiting for their insurance cheques so that can cash out - they have no intention of building anything, let alone anything world class. There aren't the tenants to support it.

Maybe if some more bulk retail can be encouraged into the city rather than Hornby etc there won't be so many empty lots. That would be better than nothing I suppose.


Fletchers have nothing to do with the Press Building.

Jonathan Ling indicated to me they were looking into saving it. But apparently they lost interest.

My gut feeling is that if this had been in Auckland, or if Fletchers were a ChCh company, they might have done more.


I understand the building that will replace it will be a proper modern building that will become as iconic as the old building.


um.... I would eat my hat if that ever happened. Again I wish it were true. The Press Building was irreplaceable as an icon for Christchurch. I pray that if something does get built to replace it, its not some concrete box tarted up with faux decoration!

It seems to me that if the new city plan from the Council & co is going to influence the rebuild, and in a positive way, then the key thing is to resolve the issue of how to reduce the size of the city to what is commercially viable to be rebuilt, and at the same time ensure the city is dense enough to be attractive. For example, if it is commercially viable to rebuild 3 quality buildings for every 10 that have been demolished, then we don't want 70% of every street to be empty lots or tilt-slab light industrial. We'd rather the quality buildings were all grouped together, for example, around Cashel & Hereford Streets. But that would involve massive trading of land. Owners who weren't planning to rebuild on Hereford St might need to be forcibly relieved of their land, so that someone who was willing to build - but otherwise would have been isolated on, say, an leveled block of Manchester St, can now be part of the new city centre. I know someone who had a office property on Gloucester St and they will be paid less than $2m insurance. It was a nice building, an older one, that contributed to the character of the street. If they choose to rebuild on the same site $2m will buy something about as classy as a Pak-n-save. I believe the best outcome for the city, in their case, would be if the $2m plus whatever the land is now worth are contributed to the development of a high-quality building inside what will be the new city centre. They would get office space in there, in return. (It would be tiny compared to what they had, but that old building just didn't have a very high value so they have to live with that.) But I don't see any leadership or process that will make these sorts of things happen - over hundreds or possibly thousands of businesses. Sure, there are some great initiatives, like the talk of an IT hub on the Para Rubber site, but I believe this needs to be done on a massive scale, and perhaps even by legislative force. The risk otherwise is that a few big companies (Telecom maybe?) do commit to funding quality new buildings, but they are surrounded by junk (like a $2m tilt-slab single level office building on Gloucester St, which is what the company in my example can afford to build). I fear the city plan is going to be full of airbrushed images, talk of precincts and aspirations, but won't actually address the governance, legal, and commercial processes and changes necessary to make these things happen. These are the things I want to see from the council and CERA - and not glossy pictures.