One of my favourite features of a pre-1900 building is the beautiful ceiling rose. Ceiling roses are often found in ‘public’ rooms in Victorian homes – usually in the parlour and dining room. But sometimes, if the original owners were … Continue reading →
Two and a half years after some of the most badly earthquake damaged parts of Christchurch started getting cleared of residential homes, half a dozen businesses are still trying to make a go in the areas.
This week on the blog, we look at what we found beneath a local landmark in the community of Lyttelton: the newly refurbished Albion Square. The Albion Square, on the corner of London and Canterbury streets, is home of the … Continue reading →
International Red Cross Manager Bob McKerrow talks with Deborah Nation about his long career spent helping others. Bob is no stranger to disaster but it's a new experience to see the sufferings of his earthquake-hit home-town of Christchurch.
A sight becoming more common in post-earthquake Christchurch - lifting earthquake-affected buildings to allow their foundations to be replaced and or completely replaced.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch Earthquake aftermath. Idyllic Fendalton home of Simon Robinson, who was struck by a falling chimney in his bedroom and is now in hospital with serious injuries".
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.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Havana and Jack Umaga and their children Elisah (6), and 7 month-old Laurah who will be staying at Fiona Newey's home as part of the Quake Breaks".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "The Johnson family of Avonside Drive is at a loss to believe their home is only half insured. From left, Blake - 4, Lisa, Danielle - 6 and Gary Johnson".
Years after the earthquakes, Christchurch is still desperately short of theatre space. But now the city council's investment of 30-million dollars to help the Court Theatre replace its very successful temporary home in Addington, is being widely applauded.
Some people in Christchurch who spent last night in freezing earthquake damaged homes with no power, are backing a call from the community group Cancern for emergency shelters to be set up when the next winter storm hits.
Staying with the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake, the police in Christchurch are to start cold-calling on homes in the city where there is either a history of domestic violence, or the potential for it.
Since the February 22nd earthquake, an influx of displaced Christchurch residents have made North Canterbury their temporary home. Cosmo Kentish-Barnes finds out how some people have coped with this dramatic event and what locals are doing to support them.
The homes in the cul-de-sac Seabreeze Close are no more than just three or four years old but the land they were built on liquified during the earthquake and sent masses of mud and silt through the houses.
Base isolation has generally been considered an expensive system used mainly in commercial buildings to make them more earthquake resilient. Katy Gosset meets the University of Canterbury engineers who've developed a safe, low cost model that could work in our homes.
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 →
Regarded as Christchurch’s oldest home, this two storey farm cottage was built in 1851-2 for Mr. Parkerson, a surgeon. It was built with 600 mm thick scoria stone blocks quarried from Lyttelton and roofed with Welsh slate. The layout of this cottage … Continue reading →
As a cemetary near her home is cordoned off, fears for Blessie Gotingco intensify. In Christchurch, there's questions over asbestos and potential danger in the earthquake rebuild and a sub zero wake up for the south, as temperatures plummet.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Tracey Ormsby formerly of Blenheim has returned to her parents' home to take a break from the earthquakes in Christchurch. L-R Mia (6), Tracey and Leo (4) Ormsby".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Tracey Ormsby formerly of Blenheim has returned to her parents' home to take a break from the earthquakes in Christchurch. L-R Mia (6), Tracey and Leo (4) Ormsby".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Furniture maker Bertram Rush and his building survived the earthquake. He's still open, hearing from people with damaged cabinets, and has been busy helping a customer to repair his home".
In the foreground PM John Key drives a bulldozer over Christchurch; in the background two engineers read a newspaper report that says 'P.M. gives false demolition number, PM gives false World Cup hope' and one of them says 'Now I know why those things are called BULLdozers..' Context - Prime Minister John Key is sticking to a government estimate that 10,000 Christchurch homes will need to be razed despite criticism that he should wait for official figures; he also stated that 100,000 homes may need repairs, despite Civil Defence saying it has only checked 70,000 homes so far. John Key was also insisting that there was a chance of keeping World Cup rugby games in Christchurch but an official announcement on 16 March dashed those hopes. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Natalie and Matthew Cutler-Welsh and their children Ruby aged 4 and Jonah 2 outside their earthquake affected Richmond home. They received a free flight to Queenstown courtesy of Air NZ".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Natalie and Matthew Cutler-Welsh and their children Ruby aged 4 and Jonah 2 outside their earthquake affected Richmond home. They received a free flight to Queenstown courtesy of Air NZ".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Urban Search and Rescue worker Barry Smith, from the USAR taskforce, at the NZ Fire Service Training Centre, Woolston, which is temporary home for 80 USAR staff from the North Island".
A blog about the Family-owned and run bar in Poplar Lanes, Christchurch - home of live entertainment with bands and DJs, every Thursday to Saturday. Archived instances cover the Canterbury Earthquake when the bar had to close down due to damage.
Information site provided by Christchurch residents group formed to advocate and protect the rights of home owners in the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquakes. Provides articles and legal advice on getting fair compensation and dealing with government beaurocracy.
A photograph of two workers beginning the clean-up and evacuation of a flat on Poplar Street during the Residential Access Project. The project gave residents temporary access within the red-zone cordon in order to retrieve items from their homes.
A photograph of a van parked on High Street which has been packed with items from the Residential Access Project. The project gave residents temporary access within the red-zone cordon in order to retrieve items from their homes.
A photograph captioned by Elizabeth Ackerman, "Brandon, Elizabeth and Danica". The photograph was taken during the Residential Access Project which gave residents temporary access within the red-zone cordon in order to retrieve items from their homes after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.