Prior to the devastating 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, parts of the CBD of Christchurch, New Zealand were undergoing revitalisation incorporating aspects of adaptive reuse and gentrification. Such areas were often characterised by a variety of bars, restaurants, and retail outlets of an “alternative” or “bohemian” style. These early 20th century buildings also exhibited relatively low rents and a somewhat chaotic and loosely planned property development approach by small scale developers. Almost all of these buildings were demolished following the earthquakes and a cordon placed around the CBD for several years. A paper presented at the ERES conference in 2013 presented preliminary results, from observation of post-earthquake public meetings and interviews with displaced CBD retailers. This paper highlighted a strongly held fear that the rebuild of the central city, then about to begin, would result in a very different style and cost structure from that which previously existed. As a result, permanent exclusion from the CBD of the types of businesses that previously characterised the successfully revitalised areas would occur. Five years further on, new CBD retail and office buildings have been constructed, but large areas of land between them remain vacant and the new buildings completed are often having difficulty attracting tenants. This paper reports on the further development of this long-term Christchurch case study and examines if the earlier predictions of the displaced retailers are coming true, in that a new CBD that largely mimics a suburban mall in style and tenancy mix, inherently loses some of its competitive advantage?
A photograph of Architect Pippin Wright-Stow from F3 Design giving a talk at Something Super during FESTA 2013. The event was held at ArtBox and included food, music, art, animation and talks about ArtBox, BeatBox and the future of Christchurch.
A photograph of volunteers from the Wellington Emergency Management Office being photographed in front of a truck. The volunteers are preparing to travel to Christchurch to help out after the 22 February 2011 earthquake. In the background is the Wellington Emergency Management Office building.
A photograph of members of the Wellington Emergency Management Office at a graduation ceremony in the Wellington Town Hall. The volunteers were awarded certificates of appreciation at the ceremony, for their work in the emergency response to the 22 February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch.
A photograph of a young girl at the Pallet Pavilion during Supernova City, a drawing workshop led by Melbourne-based New Zealand artist and architect Byron Kinnaird. This event was part of FESTA 2013, and invited people to make new, imaginative drawings of Christchurch city.
A photograph of Architect Pippin Wright-Stow from F3 Design giving a talk at Something Super during FESTA 2013. The event was held at ArtBox and included food, music, art, animation and talks about ArtBox, BeatBox and the future of Christchurch.
A photograph of Architect Pippin Wright-Stow from F3 Design giving a talk at Something Super during FESTA 2013. The event was held at ArtBox and included food, music, art, animation and talks about ArtBox, BeatBox and the future of Christchurch.
A photograph of George Parker from Free Theatre Christchurch (left), Lawrence Wallen and Thea Brejzek of University of Technology, Sydney, and Bruce Russell of CPIT around a table at Black Betty cafe for the Canterbury Tales symposium. The symposium was part of FESTA 2013.
An aerial photograph of Bangor Street in central Christchurch. The photograph has been captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Avon Loop. Some of this is zoned green and the land to the right of Bangor Street is zoned orange (plus the piece above Willow Street)".
A photograph of a portable shower unit set up in Hagley Park for the emergency management personnel who travelled to Christchurch after the 22 February 2011 earthquake. A clothes line has been set up by tying ropes to the shower unit and a digger.
A photograph of volunteers from the Wellington Emergency Management Office being photographed in front of a truck. The volunteers are preparing to travel to Christchurch to help out after the 22 February 2011 earthquake. In the background is the Wellington Emergency Management Office building.
A photograph of volunteers from the Wellington Emergency Management Office being photographed in front of a truck. The volunteers are preparing to travel to Christchurch to help out after the 22 February 2011 earthquake. In the background is the Wellington Emergency Management Office building.
A photograph of members of the Wellington Emergency Management Office at a graduation ceremony in the Wellington Town Hall. The volunteers were awarded certificates of appreciation at the ceremony, for their work in the emergency response to the 22 February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch.
A photograph of a sign taped to a window. The sign includes a bullet pointed list of humorous observations about Christchurch following the February 2011 earthquake. The sign reads, "You know you're from Christchurch when: you use the term 'liquefaction' and 'seismic design' in casual conversation; digging a hole and shitting in your garden is no longer weird; your mayor describes the city as munted. If he means FUBARed, you agree; weaving through car size potholes on the street is no longer weird; a shower is heaven; you have a preference of which kind of silt you'd rather shovel, dry or wet; you see tanks...driving around town; you are always noting what you are under; due to frequent aftershocks during the night, you sleep like a baby - every 10 minutes you wake up and shit yourself".
A photograph of the earthquake damage to the Chinese Methodist Church on Papanui Road. The bricks at the top of the tower have crumbled, and the wooden bracing is hanging half off the building. The spire of the tower can be seen to the left where it was moved to following the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of street art on the side of an electricity substation on St Asaph Street. The artwork includes a Maori heimatau (fish hook) motif. Search and rescue codes have been spray-painted on the door of the building.
A photograph submitted by Raymond Morris to the QuakeStories website. The description reads, "The New Zealand Express Co. Ltd. building (Manchester Courts) built in 1906 on the corner of Manchester and Hereford Sts. In its time it was Christchurch’s tallest office building. This painting is from the Raymond Morris Collection of earthquake demolished buildings.".
A photograph submitted by Sarndra to the QuakeStories website. The description reads, "Lyttelton Cemetery, Reserve Terrace, Lyttelton. Damage obvious in several areas. Christchurch’s cemeteries have suffered widespread damage to plots and headstones since 4 September 2010. This photo was snapped 10 April 2011. My pioneering ancestors will be turning in their graves :,-(".
A photograph of people drawing at a table at the Pallet Pavilion during Supernova City, a drawing workshop led by Melbourne-based New Zealand artist and architect Byron Kinnaird. This event was part of FESTA 2013, and invited people to make new, imaginative drawings of Christchurch city.
A photograph of people drawing at a table at the Pallet Pavilion during Supernova City, a drawing workshop led by Melbourne-based New Zealand artist and architect Byron Kinnaird. This event was part of FESTA 2013, and invited people to make new, imaginative drawings of Christchurch city.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Looking south across Bealey Avenue and between Colombo and Durham Streets towards the CBD".
A photograph of people drawing at a table at the Pallet Pavilion during Supernova City, a drawing workshop led by Melbourne-based New Zealand artist and architect Byron Kinnaird. This event was part of FESTA 2013, and invited people to make new, imaginative drawings of Christchurch city.
A photograph of people drawing at a table at the Pallet Pavilion during Supernova City, a drawing workshop led by Melbourne-based New Zealand artist and architect Byron Kinnaird. This event was part of FESTA 2013, and invited people to make new, imaginative drawings of Christchurch city.
A photograph of people drawing at a table at the Pallet Pavilion during Supernova City, a drawing workshop led by Melbourne-based New Zealand artist and architect Byron Kinnaird. This event was part of FESTA 2013, and invited people to make new, imaginative drawings of Christchurch city.
A photograph of people drawing at a table at the Pallet Pavilion during Supernova City, a drawing workshop led by Melbourne-based New Zealand artist and architect Byron Kinnaird. This event was part of FESTA 2013, and invited people to make new, imaginative drawings of Christchurch city.
A photograph of someone drawing at a table at the Pallet Pavilion during Supernova City, a drawing workshop led by Melbourne-based New Zealand artist and architect Byron Kinnaird. This event was part of FESTA 2013, and invited people to make new, imaginative drawings of Christchurch city.
A photograph of people drawing at a table at the Pallet Pavilion during Supernova City, a drawing workshop led by Melbourne-based New Zealand artist and architect Byron Kinnaird. This event was part of FESTA 2013, and invited people to make new, imaginative drawings of Christchurch city.
A photograph of someone drawing at a table at the Pallet Pavilion during Supernova City, a drawing workshop led by Melbourne-based New Zealand artist and architect Byron Kinnaird. This event was part of FESTA 2013, and invited people to make new, imaginative drawings of Christchurch city.
A photograph of people drawing at a table at the Pallet Pavilion during Supernova City, a drawing workshop led by Melbourne-based New Zealand artist and architect Byron Kinnaird. This event was part of FESTA 2013, and invited people to make new, imaginative drawings of Christchurch city.
A photograph of people drawing at a table at the Pallet Pavilion during Supernova City, a drawing workshop led by Melbourne-based New Zealand artist and architect Byron Kinnaird. This event was part of FESTA 2013, and invited people to make new, imaginative drawings of Christchurch city.