Cultural heritage is a dynamic concept, incorporating the ideas and values of many different organisations and individuals; it is heavily dependent on the context of the item or site being conserved, and transforms something from an old article into a historically significant object. A formal definition of cultural heritage did not appear in the Antarctic Treaty System until 1995, however Antarctic heritage value has been applied to various sites and monuments since the inception of the Treaty, from Shackleton’s Nimrod Hut to a heavy tractor. This report examines a number of case studies to determine the various ways in which heritage items and sites can be managed – such as the removal of the South Pole Dome – as well as their conservation after natural disasters, for instance the Christchurch earthquakes.
An entry from Ruth Gardner's blog for 8 January 2013 entitled, "'Tractive Tricksters".
An entry from Ruth Gardner's blog for 12 July 2013 entitled, "Excelsior Excitment".
An entry from Ruth Gardner's Blog for 28 November 2013 entitled, "Christmas Carol".
An entry from Ruth Gardner's Blog for 16 December 2013 entitled, "Memory Mural".
An entry from Ruth Gardner's blog for 6 August 2013 entitled, "Captivating Cathedral".
An entry from Ruth Gardner's Blog for 23 October 2013 entitled, "'Home' by Julie Myerson".
An entry from Ruth Gardner's blog for 27 June 2013 entitled, "Father's Footsteps".
An entry from Ruth Gardner's blog for 24 April 2013 entitled, "Horological Happening".
A time-lapse video of excavators demolishing the Heritage Tower in Cathedral Square. The video was filmed over three months.
A video of an interview with Roger Sutton, Chief Executive of CERA, about his vision for Christchurch. Sutton talks about CERA's Christchurch central city blueprint, the need to show off the heritage buildings in Christchurch, how to link the central city to the suburbs, and how to make compromises.
A PDF copy of page 132 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The page documents the transitional project 'Hunters & Collectors Building'. Note that images have been removed from the page for copyright reasons.
A photograph of a painting in Donna Allfrey's house at 406 Oxford Terrace. The painting depicts heritage buildings which were demolished in Christchurch, as well as the year or era in which they were built.
An entry from Ruth Gardner's blog for 14 July 2013 entitled, "Memories of McLean's Mansion".
A video of the reopening ceremony for the Heritage Hotel in Cathedral Square, which has been closed since the 22 February 2011 earthquake. The video shows Governor General Sir Jerry Mateparae opening the building while a string trio plays. It also includes footage of a speech by the Governor General, and a tour of the hotel.
A PDF copy of pages 130-131 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'CityView AR'. Photo with permission: HITLABNZ
An entry from Ruth Gardner's blog for 25 January 2013 entitled, "Preservation Project".
The "Lyttelton Harbour Review" newsletter for 4 February 2013, produced by the Lyttelton Harbour Information Centre.
The Earthquake Commission (EQC) criticised for misleading and inadequate measurements on housing foundations when assessing damage to Canterbury homes; Wellington historic building champions vow to save heritage structure in the capital; the spread of didymo in Fiordland; Defence Force sentencing today after drowning last year; the censorship of Maniac, arty audiences only please, and; the PM changes tack on working with NZ First.
A video of the removal of the earthquake-damaged Medway Street bridge from the banks of the Avon River. The video shows members of the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team removing the bridge and preparing it for transport to the Ferrymead Heritage Park. It will remain at the park until a permanent home can be found for it as an earthquake memorial.
A video of an interview with Alison Locke about the Elsie Locke Park in Christchurch which was created to honour her mother. Locke talks about finding out that the park will be replaced, her fears that other heritage sites in Christchurch will be lost, and her belief that her mother would have wanted the Centennial Swimming Pool to be saved. The park will be replaced with The Margaret Mahy Family Playground, which will include a mix of uniquely-designed playground equipment, recreational spaces, community gardens, art pieces, and water features.
The "Lyttelton Harbour Review" newsletter for 17 June 2013, produced by the Lyttelton Harbour Information Centre.
A video of a tour of the Christchurch central city Red Zone. The video includes footage of the Design and Arts College Building, the Heritage Hotel, Cathedral Junction, the Octagon Live restaurant, Manchester Street, Hereford Street, Bedford Row, High Street, Lichfield Street, the Majestic Theatre, Colombo Street, Cashel Street, Just Jeans and Starbucks on Cashel Street, and Kilmore Street. It also includes footage of residents on a Red Zone bus tour.
The "Lyttelton Harbour Review" newsletter for 24 June 2013, produced by the Lyttelton Harbour Information Centre.
The "Lyttelton Harbour Review" newsletter for 27 May 2013, produced by the Lyttelton Harbour Information Centre.
The "Lyttelton Harbour Review" newsletter for 20 May 2013, produced by the Lyttelton Harbour Information Centre.
The city of Christchurch, New Zealand, was until very recently a “Junior England”—a small city that still bore the strong imprint of nineteenth-century British colonization, alongside a growing interest in the underlying biophysical setting and the indigenous pre-European landscape. All of this has changed as the city has been subjected to a devastating series of earthquakes, beginning in September 2010, and still continuing, with over 12,000 aftershocks recorded. One of these aftershocks, on February 22, 2011, was very close to the city center and very shallow with disastrous consequences, including a death toll of 185. Many buildings collapsed, and many more need to be demolished for safety purposes, meaning that over 80 percent of the central city will have gone. Tied up with this is the city’s precious heritage—its buildings and parks, rivers, and trees. The threats to heritage throw debates over economics and emotion into sharp relief. A number of nostalgic positions emerge from the dust and rubble, and in one form is a reverse-amnesia—an insistence of the past in the present. Individuals can respond to nostalgia in very different ways, at one extreme become mired in it and unable to move on, and at the other, dismissive of nostalgia as a luxury in the face of more pressing crises. The range of positions on nostalgia represent the complexity of heritage debates, attachment, and identity—and the ways in which disasters amplify the ongoing discourse on approaches to conservation and the value of historic landscapes.
The "Lyttelton Harbour Review" newsletter for 15 April 2013, produced by the Lyttelton Harbour Information Centre.
The "Lyttelton Harbour Review" newsletter for 29 July 2013, produced by the Lyttelton Harbour Information Centre.
The "Lyttelton Harbour Review" newsletter for 10 June 2013, produced by the Lyttelton Harbour Information Centre.