Avenues

Since the Christchurch earthquakes, the CBD has been in a constant state of change: damaged buildings still standing vacant mixed with surviving buildings under repair, and vacant sites adjacent to new projects under construction.

While some may see this combination as a jumbled mess, I would argue that it has been an opportunity to observe interesting new views of old buildings and unintended views of new buildings.

The northern façade of the old Government Building, now the Heritage Hotel, in Worcester Street has been visibly “opened up” and can be now seen almost as a whole from the vacant sites opposite. While I have always enjoyed the oblique view of this building – recognised as perhaps the best example of a Renaissance style Italianate Palazzo in New Zealand – the full-on frontal exposes the grand architecture in all its ornate glory.

A less elegant but still large in scale example of a new building exposure, is the “back” of the Terrace Car Park development behind the hospitality strip’s restaurants and bars. Because the intended building in front on Hereford Street has not yet been constructed, the tall, raw concrete panels (designed to sit against the proposed building) are there to be seen by all.

While some may see this “accidental architecture” as a blight on the cityscape, it has aroused a curiosity on social media sites with people commenting on the concrete-surrounded Timezone branded shopfront as being “dystopian”, “brutalist” and “a sci-fi movie set”.

As the architects of this development, we spent most of our efforts designing the curvaceous black metal façade to the south facing the small square – now buzzing with new hospitality venues - as that was the building aspect that would be most visible. Having said that, we are still “honoured” that the Hereford Street façade has received so much media attention, even if it is “accidental” and was never intended to be seen!

Avenues.net.nz