After the Quake: New Christchurch Houses Five Years On
In the garden city, architects and homeowners overcome bureaucracy, poor soil and a tough new building code to create beautiful new homes
When a series of massive earthquakes hit Christchurch five years ago, the city was decimated. Much of the city’s pretty downtown was destroyed – and even more was demolished in the months and years after the quake, when the so-called “red zone” was closed to the public as demolition crews took the city apart brick by brick.
In the suburbs, there was just as much devastation: 100,000 houses in the city were damaged extensively, and 10,000 were declared unsafe and demolished. Empty sections sprang up throughout the city while the status of the land was assessed.
But Cantabrians are a plucky lot, and within months they started to rebuild. In the five years since, a vernacular has emerged: there’s a lot of concrete and steel, as you’d expect, but there’s also a lot of timber and a contemporary aesthetic that combines high-tech engineering with casual modern living. There’s an optimism to these houses too – they speak of the future, with a polite nod to the past.
In the suburbs, there was just as much devastation: 100,000 houses in the city were damaged extensively, and 10,000 were declared unsafe and demolished. Empty sections sprang up throughout the city while the status of the land was assessed.
But Cantabrians are a plucky lot, and within months they started to rebuild. In the five years since, a vernacular has emerged: there’s a lot of concrete and steel, as you’d expect, but there’s also a lot of timber and a contemporary aesthetic that combines high-tech engineering with casual modern living. There’s an optimism to these houses too – they speak of the future, with a polite nod to the past.
The house is sleek and minimal, with flexible spaces that open out to a small courtyard – here, a second bedroom converts to a study or media room, opening up the floor plan and providing flexibility for future uses.
Big windows and sliding partitions make the house feel much bigger than its small footprint would otherwise suggest.
Big windows and sliding partitions make the house feel much bigger than its small footprint would otherwise suggest.
Despite its small stature, it’s a sophisticated build. The house is built from lightweight timber, on a floating lightweight ‘waffle’ concrete slab.
During the build, contractors dug down 800 millimetres below the standard footings, removing tonnes of soil and replacing them with gravel, on top of which the house floats. In any future earthquakes, the house should just slide around. Gently. “The house is designed to go off kilter, but then you can put it back together,” says Smith.”
During the build, contractors dug down 800 millimetres below the standard footings, removing tonnes of soil and replacing them with gravel, on top of which the house floats. In any future earthquakes, the house should just slide around. Gently. “The house is designed to go off kilter, but then you can put it back together,” says Smith.”
Rebuilding the family home
In Redcliffs, a coastal suburb just out of the city, architectural designer Nic Curragh of Objects and brother-in-law Jono Coote designed a three-bedroom house to replace the Coote family home, a 1928 bungalow that was damaged in the earthquakes.
“The previous house was damaged extensively, essentially splitting in two,” says Curragh, “with the heavy terracotta roofing causing serious structural damage.”
In Redcliffs, a coastal suburb just out of the city, architectural designer Nic Curragh of Objects and brother-in-law Jono Coote designed a three-bedroom house to replace the Coote family home, a 1928 bungalow that was damaged in the earthquakes.
“The previous house was damaged extensively, essentially splitting in two,” says Curragh, “with the heavy terracotta roofing causing serious structural damage.”
The house that replaces it is determinedly modern, but it maintains a nod to the past with a pitched roof and white weatherboard – common throughout Christchurch suburbs. Curragh and Coote updated the look with modern cedar board-and-batten inserts.
The white-and-timber scheme is carried inside, helping with the clients’ wish for a “beach house feel”. High ceilings make the most of the space, drawing in light and spectacular views over an estuary to the Southern Alps.
Curragh brought the cedar batten-and-board detailing inside, wrapping the kitchen and extractor in timber in a mid-century sort of touch. The floor was built from a burled cork engineered plank flooring system.
The white-and-timber scheme is carried inside, helping with the clients’ wish for a “beach house feel”. High ceilings make the most of the space, drawing in light and spectacular views over an estuary to the Southern Alps.
Curragh brought the cedar batten-and-board detailing inside, wrapping the kitchen and extractor in timber in a mid-century sort of touch. The floor was built from a burled cork engineered plank flooring system.
A rigorous new building code now demands a high standard of engineering and earthquake resilience: in response, many owners have built smaller but higher-performing homes.
Half the house sits on timber piles – which go down to the rock – while on the north side, the house sits on steel posts and floor beams, “which ensures the house has a lovely floating relationship with the existing garden below,” says Curragh.
Half the house sits on timber piles – which go down to the rock – while on the north side, the house sits on steel posts and floor beams, “which ensures the house has a lovely floating relationship with the existing garden below,” says Curragh.
Surviving the quakes
On a tight site in Sumner – a beachside suburb about 15 minutes out of the city extensively damaged by the quakes – Urban Function Architecture were partway through building this house when the first quake struck.
“The slab was poured on the week of the February earthquakes,” says Aaron Jones. Expecting to turn up and find it cracked and broken, Jones has been delighted to see how the house performed – it’s square and plumb to this day.
On a tight site in Sumner – a beachside suburb about 15 minutes out of the city extensively damaged by the quakes – Urban Function Architecture were partway through building this house when the first quake struck.
“The slab was poured on the week of the February earthquakes,” says Aaron Jones. Expecting to turn up and find it cracked and broken, Jones has been delighted to see how the house performed – it’s square and plumb to this day.
The project, meant to take nine to 12 months, was delayed by three months: “After every major quake we had to get another structural assessment to check it was okay to continue,” says Jones.
Contractors had to tie and brace steel together each night so they didn’t move overnight, and the design changed subtly through the course of the build – Jones increased the ply bracing on the second storey, making the whole top floor much stiffer.
“It was good to see a building perform how it’s supposed to,” he says. “We already trusted our structural consultants – now it’s been proven even more.”
Contractors had to tie and brace steel together each night so they didn’t move overnight, and the design changed subtly through the course of the build – Jones increased the ply bracing on the second storey, making the whole top floor much stiffer.
“It was good to see a building perform how it’s supposed to,” he says. “We already trusted our structural consultants – now it’s been proven even more.”
Before the quakes, the owner had lived in an existing tired old bungalow, which was sold for $1 on Trade Me and sent south to a new owner. The new house is a delightful exercise in concrete, timber and concrete, and sits on a concrete slab, anchored by deep piles.
“I do remember the client saying it was overkill,” says Jones, “and then after he said, ‘Do what you can, beef it up.’”
Earthquake readiness aside, the new house has a beautiful relationship with the backyard, and an ease of living that the previous home never had.
“I do remember the client saying it was overkill,” says Jones, “and then after he said, ‘Do what you can, beef it up.’”
Earthquake readiness aside, the new house has a beautiful relationship with the backyard, and an ease of living that the previous home never had.
Concrete and steel
After the quakes, the large damaged villa that used to stand on this large riverfront site was demolished, and the land was subdivided in two.
The clients wanted a large family home for entertaining in: living areas flow out to a large terrace and a flat lawn. They also wanted the house to be built of concrete and for that concrete to be visible throughout – understandably.
After the quakes, the large damaged villa that used to stand on this large riverfront site was demolished, and the land was subdivided in two.
The clients wanted a large family home for entertaining in: living areas flow out to a large terrace and a flat lawn. They also wanted the house to be built of concrete and for that concrete to be visible throughout – understandably.
Here, the marks on the poured concrete walls are clearly visible in a show of strength and heft.
To this, architects Sheppard & Rout added steel, glass and dark-stained timber for a refined, modern look that will stand the test of time (and any future seismic events).
To this, architects Sheppard & Rout added steel, glass and dark-stained timber for a refined, modern look that will stand the test of time (and any future seismic events).
Fighting bureacracy
The family that owns this converted 1913 rugby club in historic Lyttelton – one of the worst-affected areas of the city – moved in shortly before the series of earthquakes over 2010 and 2011, establishing their ski business in the basement and their home upstairs in a loft apartment.
The building was badly damaged by the successive quakes, and the building was declared unsalvageable by the authorities.
The family that owns this converted 1913 rugby club in historic Lyttelton – one of the worst-affected areas of the city – moved in shortly before the series of earthquakes over 2010 and 2011, establishing their ski business in the basement and their home upstairs in a loft apartment.
The building was badly damaged by the successive quakes, and the building was declared unsalvageable by the authorities.
The family fought a lengthy battle to partly demolish the building, keeping as much of the structure – including timber beams steel trusses – as possible for a new building, designed by Max Capocaccia.
The new design has expansive glazing to the south and the view of Lyttelton harbour.
The new design has expansive glazing to the south and the view of Lyttelton harbour.
The new structure was built from lightweight but strong steel, with walls built from lightweight – and prefabricated – Structural Insulated Panels.
In the kid’s room, the steel bracing is given a playful twist with brightly coloured paint.
In the kid’s room, the steel bracing is given a playful twist with brightly coloured paint.
Though the building is essentially new, the couple were determined to make it feel old, in homage to the original – they scoured demolition yards and Trade Me for second-hand finds, which give the place a comfortable, knocked-about feel.
Here, a distressed barn door on industrial rollers lends privacy to the guest bedroom.
Here, a distressed barn door on industrial rollers lends privacy to the guest bedroom.
In the central city, meanwhile, architect Greg Young designed two townhouses for a site where there was previously one house, which was demolished after the quakes.
“The ground is pretty poor,” says Young, “so we decided to build lightweight timber apartments on it, rather than the traditional concrete-block apartments that are typical of the area.”
“The ground is pretty poor,” says Young, “so we decided to build lightweight timber apartments on it, rather than the traditional concrete-block apartments that are typical of the area.”
Instead, Young designed a lightweight ‘raft’ foundation, which saved costs. The houses have timber-framed walls, timber floors and cedar cladding – as well as big square windows to bring in the light.
In a masterful touch, Young expressed the edges of the building – floors, perimeter and party wall – with cement board to emphasise the solidity and form of the building.
TELL US
Was your home affected by the Christchurch quakes? Please share your story with us in the Comments.
MORE
6 Australian Homes That Show Some Spine
Students’ Award-Winning Home Leaves Small Footprint
Picture Perfect: 21 Homes That Get Creative With Concrete
In a masterful touch, Young expressed the edges of the building – floors, perimeter and party wall – with cement board to emphasise the solidity and form of the building.
TELL US
Was your home affected by the Christchurch quakes? Please share your story with us in the Comments.
MORE
6 Australian Homes That Show Some Spine
Students’ Award-Winning Home Leaves Small Footprint
Picture Perfect: 21 Homes That Get Creative With Concrete
The land under this new house is the poorest that can now be built on in Christchurch – in a serious earthquake, there’s a chance of significant damage from liquefaction, and the new building code requires significant geotechnical investigation and engineering as part of the design process. “It’s what they call TC3 [Technical Category 3],” says Tobin Smith of CoLab Architecture matter-of-factly. “So it wasn’t good soil.”
Pre-quake, an old house had sat on the site, so there are established trees and a lot of greenery: the house was demolished, and the site subdivided. CoLab was brought in by a young client to build a small – 83 square metre – house on the rear site for a modest budget.