Christchurch, New Zealand making strong headway after major earthquake; anticipating “cardboard cathedral”

by Brianna Crandall — February 29, 2012—On the one-year anniversary of the February 2011 6.3-magnitude earthquake that left downtown Christchurch, New Zealand in shambles, the sense of optimism in the city and the surrounding Canterbury region are reportedly strong, with new developments “popping up all over the place,” including the anticipated addition of a “cardboard cathedral.”

A news release from the New Zealand Tourism Board notes that, besides several major events such as the Women’s Golf Open, the annual Ellerslie International Flower Show and several international rugby matches held in recent months, there are many surprises in the Christchurch rebuild, with “Kiwi innovations” and unique ideas in the pipeline, including some creative community projects that are filling neighborhood gaps:

• Plans are underway to temporarily replace the Christchurch Cathedral with a “cardboard cathedral.” The Christchurch Anglican diocese has commissioned renowned Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, who has offered his services pro bono after natural disasters for a decade and a half, to design a cathedral capable of seating more than 700 people. The temporary cathedral, which is to be constructed of locally produced cardboard tubes erected in an A-shape over a foundation of shipping containers—reportedly two of the artist’s favorite materials, is intended to be available as a venue for both religious services and concerts.
  
  

  Japanese architect Shigeru Ban has designed a cardboard cathedral to temporarily replace the damaged one. Photo courtesy of Shigeru Ban Architects

  

  The temporary cathedral is to be constructed of locally produced cardboard tubes erected in an A-shape over a foundation of shipping containers. Photo courtesy of Shigeru Ban Architects

• Re:Start—a funky new pop-up container mall—is attracting Christchurch locals back into their city center for a unique new shopping experience. The colorful retail precinct with 27 stores includes High Street brands, upmarket boutiques, cafés and a department store.
  
• Lyttelton, the historic village surrounding the port of Christchurch, has a new petanque pitch and temporary art installations thanks to the Gap Filler Project—an urban regeneration initiative spearheaded by local artist curator Coralie Winn. Gap Filler activates creative projects on vacant sites with the aim of keeping the city dynamic and vibrant.
  
• Other sites around the city center are being transformed into beautiful green spaces for outdoor events and entertainment under the Greening the Rubble initiative. This volunteer project is creating temporary public parks and gardens on empty sites, usually in commercial rather than residential streets.
  
• The Christchurch Art Gallery has launched its Outer Spaces program placing artworks on a free trail, in spaces “outside the box.”