
From Staffordshire pottery to American made glass-ware, we’ve come across artefacts from all over the world on archaeological sites here in Christchurch. This prevalence of internationally made artefacts, and what it means for the city’s history, is something that’s come … Continue reading ...
The temperatures are heating up, there’s Christmas decorations in shops around the city and we’re on the countdown to summer holidays. In our penultimate blog post for the year we’re going to look back on some of our best artefacts … Continue reading →
When you think about the Avon River running through Christchurch, you might imagine punting boats and kayaks in Hagley Park. Such attractions in our garden city are far from new and, recently, a few of us here at Underground Overground … Continue reading →
Once upon a time, there was a baker (a pie-maker, even) who left his home in Germany and travelled the length of the world to a small country in the South Pacific. There, in a young city built on a … Continue reading →
Earlier this year, we excavated a site on Armagh Street that revealed not only a large quantity of artefacts, but also a historical and material narrative set in the swampy bowels of a fledgling city, a tale of politics, commerce, … Continue reading →
Recently, Peter Mitchell, one of our building archaeology specialists, recorded a 19th century residential dwelling just on the edge of Christchurch’s Central City. This dwelling was similar in form and function to others we have seen in Canterbury – it … Continue reading →
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The removal of rubble from the earthquake-stricken centre of Christchurch will start again today, once the worst of the ice in the central city melts.
Radio New Zealand reporter Jessica Maddock reports from the Christchurch Central City cordon.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says Christchurch will be a better city.
A video of Lianne Dalziel speaking to a public gathering about her reasons for standing for the mayoralty of Christchurch. Dalziel talks about starting her mayoralty where Share an Idea left off, making the Council a high performing team, and getting the community involved in the decisions about the future of the city. The video also includes footage of Dalziel taking a tour of the Christchurch central city. Dalziel visits the ChristChurch Cathedral, pointing out a sign which reads, "The earthquakes stopped us, but inept procedures are killing us". She also visits the new Westende Jewellers building, which she notes was the first rebuild in the Christchurch central city but will come down as part of CERA's Transport Plan. Dalziel is shown socialising with members of the public and watching the Christchurch Wizard bless New Regent Street.
It was so nearly lost. As the Christ Church Anglican Cathedral is being rebuilt, historian Edmund Bohan is releasing a history of the distinctive Gothic building. It shows it was controversial even before work started on designing it, let alone building in. From the laying of the foundations to the official opening, it took 40 years, after squabbles over pretty much every aspect of its construction - not to mention the huge problems raising the money to build it in the City Centre. In Heart of the City: The Story of Christchurch's Controversial Cathedral, Edmund is critical of the former Anglican Bishop Victoria Matthews' determination to demolish the badly-damaged cathedral after the Canterbury earthquakes, to replace it with a modern church. And he tells Lynn Freeman he's very much looking forward to seeing the Cathedral restored to its former glory after a lengthy and pricey rebuild. But first he sets the scene. Back in the 1860s, there was controversy over where the cathedral should go, its design, whether it should be in stone or timber - even if there should be a cathedral built at all! Heart of the City: The Story of Christchurch's Controversial Cathedral, by Edmund Bohan is published by Quentin Wilson Publishing.
Text reads 'Did you put the cat out and lock and back door?'. Shows car parked in Christchurch City at night. Context: People have been sleeping in their cars due to housing shortage created by Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 (Stuff 29 March 2012) Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Late in 2014 we were contacted by contractors working on a rebuild project in Christchurch’s city centre. It was reported that a number of bottles had been uncovered during routine earthworks and the area cordoned off until our arrival. The bottles … Continue reading →
Today we’re going back to Christchurch’s hinterland, this time to Kura Tāwhiti/Castle Hill, a place that’s still an important and valued part of the city’s surrounds. But in the interests of full disclosure, I feel like I should let you … Continue reading →
As life-changing experiences go, the earthquake on 22 February 2011 was fairly significant. On the one hand, our house was red-zoned (but still liveable), friends lost their lives and the city lost many of the old buildings that, for me, … Continue reading →
In 1861, the city of Christchurch would have been virtually unrecognisable to a 21st century resident. Buildings were scattered sparsely throughout what is now the central business district and dirt roads and low fences traversed a landscape that was more grassland … Continue reading →
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch Earthquake. Christchurch was rocked by a large aftershock shortly after 8am this morning. The city was filled with the sounds of sirens after the large aftershock".
A PDF copy of pages 266-267 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Te Ariki'. Photos: Trent Hiles
A PDF copy of pages 324-325 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Scaffold Pavilion'.
A PDF copy of pages 198-199 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Smash Palace'. Photos: Irene Boles
A PDF copy of pages 84-85 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'I Am...'. Photo: Harry Tranter
LVS acts as site brokers for a creative Christchurch, finding short and medium-term uses for the many vacant sites and buildings of Christchurch.
A path between the new Cashel Mall shopping area and Cathedral Square was opened this weekend and about 1000 people have gone through every hour. It's the first time this section of city has been open to the public since the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Earthquake damage in central Christchurch after a 6.3 earthquake. Cars on Smith City, Colombo Street car park".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch City Council pumping station on Hills Road has the wells checked by Grant Freeman from Clemence Drilling".
The private education sector in Christchurch is working on how to convince foreign students to keep coming to the city after last week's earthquake.
A PDF copy of pages 30-31 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Homage to the Lost Spaces'. Photo: Andrew Hewson
The Christchurch City Council and the Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, have hammered out a compromise deal over setting the council's long term spending priorities.