Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Barbadoes Street. After the February earthquake the statue of Mary was facing outwards towards the street, whereas before the earthquakes the statue faced inwards towards the church".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "St John the Baptist, Latimer Square".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Diva on High Street".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Crichton Cobbers on Fitzgerald Avenue".
The cross at the top of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, knocked off kilter by the earthquake.
A copy of an article extracted from page 3 of The Star newspaper, published on 7 December 1882. The article is titled, "The Transit of Venus".
The Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament is a category 1 listed heritage building constructed largely of unreinforced stone masonry, and was significantly damaged in the recent Canterbury earthquakes. The building experienced ground shaking in excess of its capacity leading to block failures and partial collapse of parts of the building, which left the building standing but still posing a significant hazard. In this paper we discuss the approach to securing the building, and the interaction of the structural, heritage and safety demands involved in a dynamic seismic risk environment. We briefly cover the types of failures observed and the behaviour of the structure, and investigate the performance of both strengthened and un-strengthened parts of the building. Seismic strengthening options are investigated at a conceptual level. We draw conclusions as to how the building performed in the earthquakes, comment on the effectiveness of the strengthening and securing work and discuss the potential seismic strengthening methods.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "ChristChurch Cathedral, Cathedral Square".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "McKenzie & Willis building on Tuam Street".
A story submitted by Pat A Chousal to the QuakeStories website.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "ChristChurch Cathedral, Cathedral Square".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Provincial Council Chambers".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Octagon Live (Formerly Trinity Congregational Church) corner Worcester and Manchester Streets".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Site meeting at the Provincial Council Chambers".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Workers at the Provincial Council Chambers, Durham Street".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "116 Worcester Street".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Oxford Terrace pump house".
On the 22nd of February, 2011 the city of Christchurch, New Zealand was crippled by a colossal earthquake. 185 people were killed, thousands injured and what remained was a city left in destruction and ruin. Thousands of Christchurch properties and buildings were left damaged beyond repair and the rich historical architecture of the Canterbury region had suffered irreparably. This research will conduct an investigation into whether the use of mixed reality can aid in liberating Christchurch’s rich architectural heritage when applied to the context of destructed buildings within Christchurch. The aim of this thesis is to formulate a narrative around the embodiment of mixed reality when subjected to the fragmentary historical architecture of Christchurch. Mixed reality will aspire to act as the defining ligature that holds the past, present and future of Christchurch’s architectural heritage intact as if it is all part of the same continuum. This thesis will focus on the design of a memorial museum within a heavily damaged historical trust registered building due to the Christchurch earthquake. It is important and relevant to conceive the idea of such a design as history is what makes everything we know. The memories of the past, the being of the now and the projection of the future is the basis and fundamental imperative in honouring the city and people of Christchurch. Using the technologies of Mixed Reality and the realm of its counter parts the memorial museum will be a definitive proposition of desire in providing a psychological and physical understanding towards a better Christchurch, for the people of Christchurch. This thesis serves to explore the renovation possibilities of the Canterbury provincial council building in its destructed state to produce a memorial museum for the Christchurch earthquake. The design seeks to mummify the building in its raw state that sets and develops the narrative through the spaces. The design intervention is kept at a required minimum and in doing so manifests a concentrated eloquence to the derelict space. The interior architecture unlocks the expression of history and time encompassed within a destructive and industrialised architectural dialogue. History is the inhabitant of the building, and using the physical and virtual worlds it can be set free. This thesis informs a design for a museum in central Christchurch that celebrates and informs the public on past, present and future heritage aspects of Christchurch city. Using mixed reality technologies the spatial layout inside will be a direct effect of the mixed reality used and the exploration of the physical and digital heritage aspects of Christchurch. The use of technology in today’s world is so prevalent that incorporating it into a memorial museum for Christchurch would not only be interesting and exploratory but also offer a sense of pushing forward and striving beyond for a newer, fresher Christchurch. The memorial museum will showcase a range of different exhibitions that formulate around the devastating Christchurch earthquake. Using mixed reality technologies these exhibitions will dictate the spaces inside dependant on their various applications of mixed reality as a technology for architecture. Research will include; what the people of Canterbury are most dear to in regards to Christchurch’s historical environment; the use of mixed reality to visualise digital heritage, and the combination of the physical and digital to serve as an architectural mediation between what was, what is and what there could be.
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The Octagon Live Restaurant, viewed from Manchester Street".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "A demolition site on Lichfield Street, where further damage occurred as a result of the 23 December 2011 earthquakes".
An interview with Chris Whitty, Site Manager at the Christchurch Arts Centre, about the recovery of the Townsend Telescope from the rubble of the Observatory tower. The interview was conducted by Sebastian Wilberforce.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "A series of bandaid images appeared across the city on badly damaged buildings. This one is at Knox Church".
An entry from Jennifer Middendorf's blog for 7 July 2013 entitled, "Winter weekends".
A story submitted by Catherine Lee Clarke to the QuakeStories website.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "South aspect of ChristChurch Cathedral, Cathedral Square".
A photograph of staff from the Department of Physics and Astronomy from the University of Canterbury recovering parts of the Townsend Telescope from the rubble of the Observatory tower. The telescope was housed in the tower at the Christchurch Arts Centre. It was severely damaged when the tower collapsed during the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
A photograph of staff from the Department of Physics and Astronomy from the University of Canterbury recovering parts of the Townsend Telescope from the rubble of the Observatory tower. The telescope was housed in the tower at the Christchurch Arts Centre. It was severely damaged when the tower collapsed during the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
An aerial photograph of Cathedral Square with the sites of demolished buildings visible.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on Barbadoes Street".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "St John the Baptist in Latimer Square - with a clear view of the church and the hall now that the Arrow building is demolished".