Christchurch residents can expect 2013 to be the year where a new city finally starts to come out of the ground, a local architect says.
Kerry Mason, the director of Christchurch’s MAP Architects, says that the quake has opened up a “fantastic” opportunity in the city.
“There’s some really good master planning that’s gone on and we’re going to end up with the model city,” he says.
“The attitude has changed in Christchurch it has become vibrant, I believe, and buildings are starting to come out of the ground now instead of being knocked down.”
Mr Mason says the re- imagining of the city will start to become real this year.
“There will be a number of building’s finished and tenanted this year and we’ll start to see some streetscape coming back to some of these areas that have been flat for the last two years."
New construction sites are popping up all across the city – here is a selection of nine of the most exciting developments already well underway:
1) Central Christchurch, Alwy Building
- Completion date: Mid-2015
- Warren and Mahoney Architects
Located in the central city, just opposite the Avon River and Provincial Chambers, the office/retail building is made of three parts, separated by two courtyards. The ground floor will be leased to businesses, cafes and restaurants.
2) 148 Victoria Street
- Completion date: June 2013
- MAP Architects
This four-storey office building is designed with the gothic elements of the nearby John Knox Church in mind. A courtyard separates the two buildings while a pavilion building out the front will be leased to retailers. The structure is floating on columns, create a wider space for the courtyard.
3) 45 Harvard Ave Wigram, Air Force Museum
- Completion date: Complete!
- Warren & Mahoney Architects
An extension of the Wigram Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum, this building was completed in December. A wide open area with wide exposure to sunlight, the entire interior of the building can be viewed from the outside.
4) 76 Victoria Street
- Completion date: late 2013 to early 2014
- MAP Architects
Just across from the Christchurch clocktower, this building is a shared retail/office space. The retail area on the bottom floor has been leased already, to restaurants and bars. Construction is already underway and a cordon is blocking the area.
5) Ferry Road, Ferrymead bridge
- Completion date: 2015
- Christchurch City Council
After suffering irreparable earthquake damage in February 2011, the Christchurch City Council has ordered work to begin on a six lane bridge in Ferrymead. It will be one of the largest in New Zealand and is expected to carry 30,000 vehicles a day.
6) 112 Cashel Street, ‘Plymouth Lane’
- Completion date: mid-2014
This lane runs from the old Christchurch City Council car park on Lichfield street to the west side of Cashel mall. Retail spaces will be leased along the bottom floor, while a second floor will be office space and a third floor may be a residential area.
7) 123 Victoria Street
- Completion date: mid to late 2014
Another office/retail building, this design has a 45 metre long boulevard to the side to allow for several retailers and cafes. The concept has been approved and construction is likely to get underway sometime this year. The space was occupied by the Pacific Brands building before the quake.
8) 335 Lincoln Road, Addington
- Completion date: July 2013
- Jazmax Architects
This office building will be a new home to 3 News Christchurch offices, along with many other media and radio staff employed by Mediaworks. The building is designed to take advantage of as much sun as possible.
9) Cathedral Square, Transitional Cardboard Cathedral
- Completion date: mid 2013
- Shigeru Ban Architects
Designed by the world-renowned Shigeru Ban, this temporary replacement for the earthquake damaged ChristChurch Cathedral is expected to last 50 years. It was expected to be completed in November last year but delays pushed that back. Construction is currently well under way.
3 News
source: newshub archive
