A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 28 October 2011
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 23 November 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 12 October 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 28 September 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 15 November 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 7 September 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 19 October 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 26 October 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 30 November 2012
A photograph of workers from the Residential Access Project walking down Tuam Street. The project gave residents temporary access within the red-zone cordon in order to retrieve items from their homes.
The Canterbury region of New Zealand experienced a sequence of strong earthquakes during 2010-2011. Responses included government acquisition of many thousands of residential properties in the city of Christchurch in areas with severe earthquake effects. A large and contiguous tract of this ‘red zoned’ land lies in close proximity to the Ōtākaro / Avon River and is known as the Avon-Ōtākaro Red Zone (AORZ). The focus of this study was to provide an overview of the floodplain characteristics of the AORZ and review of international experience in ecological restoration of similar river margin and floodplain ecosystems to extract restoration principles and associated learnings. Compared to pre-earthquake ground levels, the dominant trend in the AORZ is subsidence, together with lateral movement especially in the vicinity of waterway. An important consequence of land subsidence in the lower Ōtākaro / Avon River is greater exposure to flooding and the effects of sea level rise. Scenario modelling for sea level rise indicates that much of the AORZ is exposed to inundation within a 100 year planning horizon based on a 1 m sea level rise. As with decisions on built infrastructure, investments in nature-based ‘green infrastructure’ also require a sound business case including attention to risks posed by climate change. Future-proofing of the expected benefits of ecological restoration must therefore be secured by design. Understanding and managing the hydrology and floodplain dynamics are vital to the future of the AORZ. However, these characteristics are shared by other floodplain and river restoration projects worldwide. Identifying successful approaches provides a useful a source of useful information for floodplain planning in the AORZ. This report presents results from a comparative case study of three international examples to identify relevant principles for large-scale floodplain management at coastal lowland sites.
After the Christchurch earthquakes, the government declared about 8000 houses as Red Zoned, prohibiting further developments in these properties, and offering the owners to buy them out. The government provided two options for owners: the first was full payment for both land and dwelling at the 2007 property evaluation, the second was payment for land, and the rest to be paid by the owner’s insurance. Most people chose the second option. Using data from LINZ combined with data from StatNZ, this project empirically investigates what led people to choose this second option, and what were the implications of these choices for the owners’ wealth and income.
It is well established that urban green areas provide a wide range of social, aesthetic, environmental and economic benefits. The importance of urban green spaces has been known for decades; however the relationship between urban livability and green areas, as incorporated in overall urban green structure, has become the focus of international studies during the last 10 to 15 years. The spatial structure of green space systems has important consequences for urban form; configuring urban resources, controlling urban size, improving ecological quality of urban areas and preventing or mitigating natural disasters. However, in the field of architecture or urban design, very little work has been done to investigate the potential for built form to define and differentiate the edge to a green corridor ... This thesis therefore poses the hypothesis that architecture and urban design critically mediate between city and green corridor, through intensification and definition of the built edge, as a means of contributing to an ecological city form.
In what used to be sections with houses and yards. Between late 2011 and 2014 the houses (well 95% of them) were removed due to land dropping in the 2011 earthquakes and the proximity of the Avon River, tidal in this area.
A digitally manipulated photograph of the partially-demolished Ozone Hotel. The photographer comments, "As if a deadly disease is moving out from Christchurch City red zone, the heritage buildings are being put down".
A video of a tour of the Christchurch central city Red Zone. The video includes footage of Cambridge Terrace, the Copthorne Hotel on Colombo Street, Gloucester Street, the Government Life Building in Cathedral Square, the Grant Thornton Building in Cathedral Square, the ChristChurch Cathedral, the new Press Building on Gloucester Street, the Design and Arts College building on Worcester Street, the new Westende Jewellers Building, Hereford Street, the Westpac Trust Building, the BNZ Building, the Holiday Inn, Lichfield Street, High Street, and Cathedral Junction.
Mayor Bob Parker speaking at the opening of the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT). The ceremony was held in Burwood Park.
Earthquake Minister Gerry Brownlee speaking at the opening of the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT). The ceremony was held in Burwood Park.
Mayor Bob Parker speaking at the opening of the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT). The ceremony was held in Burwood Park.
A Ngai Tahu elder speaking to politicians and the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT) at the official opening. The ceremony was held in Burwood Park.
Reverend Peter Beck leading a prayer at the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT) opening. The ceremony was held in Burwood Park.
Reverend Peter Beck leading a prayer at the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT) opening. The ceremony was held in Burwood Park.
Mayor Bob Parker speaking at the opening of the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT). The ceremony was held in Burwood Park.
Students from the University of Canterbury lining up for a barbeque lunch break. The students have volunteered to dig up liquefaction as part of the Student Volunteer Army.
Mayor Bob Parker speaking at the opening of the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT). The ceremony was held in Burwood Park.
Earthquake Minister Gerry Brownlee speaking at the opening of the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT). The ceremony was held in Burwood Park.
Phil Goff leading the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT) as they are welcomed by a powhiri. The ceremony was held in Burwood Park.
Phil Goff leading the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT) as they are welcomed by a powhiri. The ceremony was held in Burwood Park.
Ngai Tahu elders performing a powhiri to welcome workers of the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT). The ceremony was held in Burwood Park.
A photograph submitted by Tim Kerr to the QuakeStories website. The description reads, "Service men – and women – controlled access to inner city Red Zone. They seemed to enjoy the somewhat boring task and were more effective than the police".