The Strangeness of Earthquakes

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A concrete block wall with a large diagonal crack running through it. The photographer comments, "This wall has fascinated me. It has cracked across in a dead straight diagonal line during one of Christchurch's many earthquakes. How could this have occurred?".

BeckerFraserPhotos June 2012 photograph 441

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The Strange's building, 219 High Street".

BeckerFraserPhotos June 2012 photograph 311

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The site of the Strange's building on the north-west corner of Lichfield and High Streets. Bonnington House can also be seen, covered with scaffolding during the repair process".

BeckerFraserPhotos June 2012 photograph 308

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The site of Strange's building on the north-west corner of Lichfield and High Streets".

BeckerFraserPhotos June 2012 photograph 069

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Corner of Lichfield and High Street, viewed from Alice in Videoland".

John Peacock and his Controversial Fountain

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Terra Probe

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Workers operate a drilling rig inside a Terra Probe truck, which has been raised on jacks to make it stable. The photographer comments, "Another completely different company testing what is below the surface to determine what type of foundations new houses will need. This is in one the blue/green area of earthquake shaken Christchurch. Strangely this is 3 metres away from where the other testing was done".

The View Through the Blue

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Workers seen through a gap between wooden pallets in GapFiller's Pallet Pavillion. The photographer comments, "Though it looks strange and Photoshopped this is a straight shot through pallets painted blue. The Pallet Pavilion is built on the site of the demolished Crowne Plaza Hotel. It was built by volunteers, mainly students and construction engineers over 6 weeks. Here students are being given health and safety instructions before helping out on completing the temporary structure".

Zero Cars

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Spray-painted writing on the side of a car parking building reads "0 cars". The photographer comments, "Strangely and appropriately this graffiti was on a car park. In fact the graffiti was 100% correct as the car park is in the Christchurch earthquake red zone and there should be zero cars now inside it. It may have been put on by an anti car protester or just an indication that the car park is empty. One of the suggestions for the City plan for the rebuilt Christchurch was for a pedestrian and cycle only area, which also fits in with 0 CARS".

Poseidon Extreme

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A digitally manipulated image of the high diving boards at QEII swimming pool. Rubble has fallen on the boards during the demolition of the complex. A sign reads "Poseidon Extreme". The photographer comments, "I do not know what Poseidon Extreme at this swimming pool looked like before the earthquake damaged it, but it looks really radical now during it's demolition. A strange coincidence is that Poseidon is referred to as 'Earth-Shaker' due to his role in causing earthquakes. So the demolition of this pool due to the series of quakes in Christchurch all seems to be foretold by the gods and that sign".