Stepping Into The Future

In Brief Stepping Into The Future

Yay! We’re on target for a mid2027 completion!

The project team has recently submitted the design for the main Cathedral and Tower for building consent—and this means the critical path of the project timeline is bang on track!

Figuring out how to strengthen and enhance the existing heritage building, and then connect this to the new tower, vestries and porch has taken the team the best part of 2021 but now it’s done! It’s great to have this important work behind us,” says the Project Director Keith Paterson.

This tricky and unusual job requires a big team that includes a wide range of disciplines including architects, engineers, contractors, landscape designers, acoustic engineers not to mention organ and bell specialists and many more. “It’s taken a huge collaborative effort from a diverse team of experts to make it happen. The different groups have been fantastic. They’ve developed excellent working relationships and performed superbly to meet the challenging deadline,” says Keith.

Two new ‘renders’ of the end goal vision of the reinstated Cathedral: one a view of the front entrance through to Tūranga, and the other an arial view showing the renewed connection to the Citizen’s War Memorial and Chalice. Credit: CCRL Peter Marshall of Warren and Mahoney Architects says, “This is a very complex strengthening and refurbishment project. Integration of the engineers’ designs with the contractors’ methodologies, whilst retaining the heritage and architectural values of the building, required an understanding of the strengthening strategy at the same time as understanding design and cost implications. The architectural challenge has also been in the documenting of the Tower, which is being totally rebuilt, and in the design of two new vestries in keeping with the architectural language of the Cathedral. To be at the point where we can lodge for a building consent is a major milestone in this exciting project.”

This year, strengthening work on the main structure will continue and design work for the two accompanying buildings—the Cathedral Centre and Visitors Centre—can start.

“We are delighted with the achievements to date and pleased to be able to keep moving ahead together,” says Keith.

Want more? Visit www.christchurchcathedral.org.nz and/or facebook.com/ChristChurchCathedralReinstatement