Christchurch Cathedral

Christ Church Cathedral concept designs unveiled

Under the design plans, the historic Cathedral will sit at the heart of the Cathedral Quarter. It will be supported by modern buildings that both contrast and complement it in terms of aesthetics and function.

To the north of the Cathedral will be the new Cathedral Visitors’ Centre. On the ground level will be a café, with terraced steps leading down to a lowered, landscaped courtyard and museum and retail.

To the south will be the ‘Cathedral Centre’ providing much-needed gathering spaces, offices and amenities. Both are designed to incorporate glass and timber textures to promote light and create a visual connection to the Square.

The front view of the new Cathedral Centre, to the south of the Cathedral.

Anglican Bishop of Christchurch Dr Peter Carrell says the Cathedral will have more flexibility in how it functions, due to planned enhancements internally and from the new supporting buildings.

“The Cathedral, through this Concept Design, will look very similar, retaining many heritage features, is more welcoming and have improved flexibility for worship and events, supported by improved acoustics, and a refurbished and better situated organ.

Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Limited (CCRL) Chair Justin Murray says the vastly improved aesthetics and landscaping of the overall Quarter will be a point of pride for the city and a revitalised New Zealand attraction.

Bishop Carrell says the concept design for the Cathedral comes at a cost.

“We estimate the total project cost now to be just over $154 million. That’s to deliver the entire Cathedral Quarter—the reinstated and enhanced Cathedral, landscaping and the two new external buildings and associated costs.

The Cathedral was built between 1864 and 1904 in the centre of the city, surrounded by Cathedral Square. It became the cathedral seat of the Bishop of Christchurch.

English architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott designed the building he also was the architect of St Pancras railway station in London. Benjamin Mountfort was the supervising architect was who was responsible in redesigning the spire.
In 16 December 1864 the cornerstone was laid and the foundations completed by 1865, funding for the church ran out some believed  that the Church had more important things to spend its money on. It is understood that at one point the site was almost sold however in 1873 the building project was restarted again and completed in 1904 at a final cost was £65,572.

For many years the public were able to access the top of the spire for a small fee and look out across the city from one of four balconies.

Averaging 300,000 visitors each year a visitor centre was added to the Cathedral which was officially opened by the Queen on the 4th of November 1995. The centre, designed by Christchurch architect Alun Wilkie, was constructed at a cost of $1.4 million, the centre housed a shop, restaurant, display and exhibition area.

ChristChurch Cathedral had 13 bells and a team of bellringers.

Christchurch Cathedral was affected by earthquakes on 5 December 1881, 1 September 1888 and 16 November 1901.
Each time the spire was damaged. After the 1901 earthquake, the top of the tower was replaced by hardwood sheathed in copper.

The Cathedral suffered minor damage in the earthquakes of September and December 2010, but was devastated by the 22 February 2011 earthquake. No one was killed in the building. One injured person was rescued from a room in the belltower.

The Cardboard or Transitional Cathedral was constructed as a temperary alternative whilst repairs were made to the Christchurch Cathedral. To fully restore the Cathedral an estimate of $104 million is being reported, with the church's $42m insurance payout being well short of the budget requirement to do so.

It was proposed by the church believing the money required to restore the building should go to the community instead and to create a new design using elements of the original onto the old, resulting in lower costs to the Christchurch community.  

It has been decided after an exceptionally long time some say an unacceptable amount of time that the building will now be reinstated, with the process expected to take up to ten years to complete.

These delays has caused some dissatisfaction with a lot of Christchurch people as they just wanted to move on, however the aposing group threatened further delaying court action if their wishes were not followed this has forced the Church to back down.

Sources
christchurchcitylibraries.com