A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "A view looking along Poplar Lane. Two weeks earlier the surface of the lane was clear".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Lots more cracking at the corner of the Crichton Cobbers Youth and Community Club on Fitzgerald Avenue. This was a result of the 23 December 2011 earthquake".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Our Lady Star of the Sea, Catholic School in Menzies Street, Sumner".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "MSC House at 92 Lichfield Street which has sustained further damage during the 23 December 2011 aftershock".
Case study unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings that were seismically retrofitted prior to the 2010/11 Canterbury earthquake sequence and exhibited successful performance during these earthquakes are presented herein. Selected buildings were divided into the following categories based on size and complexity: (1) simple, single storey box type buildings (i.e. electrical substations), (2) common and simple commercial buildings, and (3) large and complex clay brick and stone URM buildings. The retrofitted case study URM buildings were evaluated based on overall structural seismic performance as well as the categories of initial seismic design, heritage preservation, architectural appeal, and cost. Detailed observations of 4 representative case study buildings and a summary of findings are reported herein. http://db.nzsee.org.nz/2017/Orals.htm
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The Christchurch Chinese Methodist Church on Papanui Road. The steeple was removed after the September earthquake. The future of church is unclear, but the church hall has been demolished".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The Christchurch Chinese Methodist Church on Papanui Road. The steeple was removed after the September earthquake. The future of church is unclear, but the church hall has been demolished".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "A demolition site on Lichfield Street, where further damage occurred as a result of the 23 December 2011 earthquakes".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Our City, O-Tautahi (former Municipal Chambers) on Worcester Street".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Our City, O-Tautahi (former Municipal Chambers) on Worcester Street".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Materials salvaged from Our City, O-Tautahi on pallets out front".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The Cupola from Our City, O-Tautahi (former Municipal Chambers), removed and braced on the ground outside".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Damage to the side wall of the Mexican Cafe and His Lordships on Lichfield Street. from the December 23 earthquakes".
The clock tower of the former Railway Station, encased in plywood to prevent further damage. A banner sponsored by The Press hangs below the clock, covered with words which symbolise the September earthquake. The photographer comments, "After the September earthquake the clocked stopped at 04:35 and everyone campaigned to have this clock left as it was. At that time the building was believed to be OK. Two more earthquakes later and the possible memorial will probably end up like a lot of Christchurch's heritage buildings on a huge pile of stone and bricks in Bottle Lake Forest".
Churches are an important part of New Zealand's historical and architectural heritage. Various earthquakes around the world have highlighted the significant seismic vulnerability of religious buildings, with the extensive damage that occurred to stone and clay-brick unreinforced masonry churches after the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes emphasising the necessity to better understand this structural type. Consequently, a country-wide inventory of unreinforced masonry churches is here identified. After a bibliographic and archival investigation, and a 10 000 km field trip, it is estimated that currently 297 unreinforced masonry churches are present throughout New Zealand, excluding 12 churches demolished in Christchurch because of heavy damage sustained during the Canterbury earthquake sequence. The compiled database includes general information about the buildings, their architectural features and structural characteristics, and any architectural and structural transformations that have occurred in the past. Statistics about the occurrence of each feature are provided and preliminary interpretations of their role on seismic vulnerability are discussed. The list of identified churches is reported in annexes, supporting their identification and providing their address.
The seismic tremor that shook Christchurch on February 22, 2011, not only shattered buildings but also the spirit of the city’s residents. Amidst the ruins, this design-focused thesis unravels two intertwining narratives, each essential to the city’s resurrection. At its core, this thesis probes the preservation of Christchurch’s memory and character, meticulously chronicling the lost heritage architecture and the subsequent urban metamorphosis. Beyond bricks and mortar, it also confronts the silent aftershocks - the pervasive mental health challenges stemming from personal losses and the disfigured cityscape. As a native of Christchurch, intimately connected to its fabric, my lens reflects not just on the architectural reconstruction but also on the emotional reconstruction. My experience as an autistic individual, a recently discovered facet of my identity, infuses this design journey with a distinct prism through which I perceive and interact with the world. The colourful sketches that drive the design process aren’t mere illustrations but manifestations of my interpretation of spaces and concepts, evoking joy and vitality—a testament to embracing diversity in design. Drawing parallels between healing my own traumas with my colourful and joyful neurodivergent worldview, I’ve woven this concept into proposals aimed at healing the city through whimsy, joy, and vibrant colours. Personal experiences during and post-earthquakes profoundly shape my design proposals. Having navigated the labyrinth of my own mental health amid the altered cityscape, I seek avenues for reconciliation, both personal and communal. The vibrant sketches and designs presented in this thesis encapsulate this vision—a fusion of vivid, unconventional interpretations and a dedication to preserving the essence of the original cityscape while still encouraging movement into the future.