Photographs of the Brick Art unveiling, Greening the Rubble, on the former Asko site - corner of Victoria and Salisbury Streets, Christchurch 8 February 2011. From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries CCL-Brickart-2011-IMG_2512
Photographs of the Brick Art unveiling, Greening the Rubble, on the former Asko site - corner of Victoria and Salisbury Streets, Christchurch 8 February 2011. From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries CCL-Brickart-2011-IMG_2471
Photographs of the Brick Art unveiling, Greening the Rubble, on the former Asko site - corner of Victoria and Salisbury Streets, Christchurch 8 February 2011. From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries CCL-Brickart-2011-IMG_2504
27 February 2012. File reference: CCL-2012-01-27-Tributes-IMG_9961 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
6 March 2012. File reference: CCL-2012-03-06-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0119 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Oxford Terrace, 6 March 2012. File reference: CCL-2012-03-06-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0128 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
File reference: CCL-2012-03-13-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0135 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
6 March 2012. File reference: CCL-2012-03-06-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0121 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
6 March 2012. File reference: CCL-2012-03-06-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0112 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
File reference: CCL-2012-03-13-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0139 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
6 March 2012. File reference: CCL-2012-03-06-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0107 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
6 March 2012. File reference: CCL-2012-03-06-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0123 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
6 March 2012. File reference: CCL-2012-03-06-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0129 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
File reference: CCL-2012-03-13-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0134 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
6 March 2012. File reference: CCL-2012-03-06-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0113 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
File reference: CCL-2012-03-13-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0140 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
File reference: CCL-2012-03-13-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0137 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
6 March 2012. File reference: CCL-2012-03-06-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0112 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
File reference: CCL-2012-03-13-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0138 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
6 March 2012. File reference: CCL-2012-03-06-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0114 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
File reference: CCL-2012-03-13-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0141 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
File reference: CCL-2012-03-13-AroundChristchurch-IMG_0136 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Christchurch was struck by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake on the 22 February 2011. The quake devastated the city, taking lives and causing widespread damage to the inner city and suburban homes. The central city lost over half its buildings and over 7000 homes were condemned throughout Christchurch. The loss of such a great number of homes has created the requirement for new housing to replace those that were lost. Many of which were located in the eastern, less affluent, suburbs. The response to the housing shortage is the planned creation of large scale subdivisions on the outskirts of the city. Whilst this provides the required housing it creates additional sprawl to a city that does not need it. The extension of Christchurch’s existing suburban sprawl puts pressure on roading and pushes residents further out of the city, creating a disconnection between them. Christchurch’s central city had a very small residential population prior to the earthquakes with very few options for dense inner city living. The proposed rebuild of the inner city calls for a new ‘dense, vibrant and diverse central hub’. Proposing the introduction of new residential units within the central city. However the placement of the low-rise housing in a key attribute of the rebuild, the eastern green ‘Frame’, diminishes its value as open green space. The proposed housing will also be restrictive in its target market and therefore the idea of a ‘vibrant’ inner city is difficult to achieve. This thesis acts as response to the planned rebuild of inner Christchurch. Proposing the creation of a model for inner city housing which provides an alternative option to the proposed housing and existing and ongoing suburban sprawl. The design options were explored through a design-led process were the options were critiqued and developed. The ‘final’ proposal is comprises of three tall towers, aptly named the Triple Towers, which condense the proposed low-rise housing from an 11000 square metre footprint to combined footprint of 1500 square metres. The result is an expansion of the publicly available green space along the proposed eastern frame of the city. The height of the project challenges the height restrictions and is provocative in its proposal and placement. The design explores the relationships between the occupants, the building, the ‘Frame’ and the central city. The project is discussed through an exploration of the architecture of Rem Koolhaas, Renzo Piano and Oscar Niemeyer. Rather than their architecture being taken as a direct influence on which the design is based the discussion revolves around how and why each piece of comparative architecture is relevant to the designs desired outcome.
An aerial photograph looking north over the Christchurch central city from Moorhouse Avenue centred on Manchester Street.
The remaining part of City Church on Manchester Street. The rest of the building has been demolished.
A safety notice board in the window of the Christchurch City Council Civic Offices on Hereford Street.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The sign says 'Cheap in the City' - I should hope so".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "City Council crew cleaning up on the Colombo - High Street intersection".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "City Council crew cleaning up on the Colombo - High Street intersection".
A document which explains the rationale behind and development of City Care's Good to Go safety video.