Christchurch Cityscape

This is the view across the estuary, toward the mountains - which are covered in snow in the background but lost in the haze today.

After the earthquake; before demolition

I expect it will look quite different in a year or so. This is what we call high-rise - I don't think we have anything higher than 30 storeys, but we think 10 storeys is high-rise. And we don't have the stomach for it any more.

Some of these buildings we know are damaged and tagged for demolition, such as the wonky looking one to the left, Hotel Grand Chancellor. The 2 buildings which collapsed in February were only 5 and 6 storeys high. Other taller buildings had stairwells collapse, stranding people above.

High-rises that remained intact merely terrified their inhabitants, many of whom will never return to tall buildings.

Some wonderful innovative ideas have emerged for the new-look Christchurch and I eagerly await their realisation...