New Zealand - Christchurch - Quake City


In February of 2011 Christchurch suffered a devastating earthquake that killed 185 people and injured nearly 7000. Several thousand homes and other buildings suffered irreparable damage, having already been weakened by an even larger, albeit more distant, earthquake in September 2010. Half of the buildings in the central business district have since been demolished, which is why so little of Christchurch looked familiar to me from my previous visit. So, even as the region has experienced thousands of more aftershocks and earthquakes since 2010, the city is rebuilding and reinventing itself, seizing the opportunity for a massive urban renewal project. We’d love to come back in 5 or 10 years to see the finished product, but even in its current state of repair Christchurch is still a beautiful city.


Christchurch Cathedral was heavily damaged in the 2011 earthquake.


The Transitional Cathedral, also known as the Cardboard Cathedral for the large cardboard tubes acting as roof support members, as well as a cardboard cross, cardboard pulpit, and many other clever cardboard applications.


Christchurch Earthquake National Memorial


Victims names inscribed on the memorial wall


Re:Start Mall - now closed, but until recently these were some of the temporary retail shops made from shipping containers as a means to keep central city shopping alive after the earthquakes.


Through the Gap Filler initiative many suddenly empty lots were filled with creative uses - typically small scale, short term uses like temporary garden cafes, live music venues, and this workshop space, largely using recycled materials.


Funky plastic sheep - part seat, part safety barrier.
(photo by Deborah)


Poster inside the restroom at the Quake City Museum. The earthquake severely compromised the sewage system so for a time the locals had to innovate ways to set up temporary outhouses in their back yards. For more see www.showusyourlongdrop.co.nz
(photo by Deborah)



Still lots of fenced off construction zones around the city, this one with an artistic background.


These guys have been busy.
(photo by Deborah)



185 empty white chairs, one for each person killed in the earthquake.


Christchurch looks ahead.


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