Seeing Christchurch for the first time since the devastating earthquakes of February 2 years ago was really sad for me. I lived in and loved Christchurch during my days at Lincoln University (almost too many years ago to count on two hands, plus feet - yikes!). The buildings that formed the core of it's beauty and history are either flattened, or with scaffolding, orange cones, and fences around them. It must be so sad for the residents to see their once beautiful city so scruffy. That's the best way I can think to describe it. No smooth footpaths, no immaculate city council gardens, just security fences and road cones everywhere.
Church steeples (if they survived) are sitting on the ground beside their church, and once bustling CBD shops are now barren wastelands of cleared rubble. Flat. Sad. Emptiness. The landscape architect in me sees the possibilities of amazing design and public spaces emerging from this flat zone. But for now it is about mourning what once was.
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| Christchurch Cathedral being dismantled |
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| This ancient house now standing isolated amongst the rubble of tower blocks was very poignant to me |
Church steeples (if they survived) are sitting on the ground beside their church, and once bustling CBD shops are now barren wastelands of cleared rubble. Flat. Sad. Emptiness. The landscape architect in me sees the possibilities of amazing design and public spaces emerging from this flat zone. But for now it is about mourning what once was.
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| The positve I did notice - this is a chance to admire the exquisite beauty and workmanship of these steeples at a closer range than if they were up on top! |
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