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1. B r i e f i n g D o c u m e n t | M e d i a R e l e a s e | A p r i l | 2 0 1 2
A symbol of Hope for the Future
Transitional Cathedral

2. Transitional Cathedral:
Vision
- To build a temporary “Transitional Cathedral” at a
site in the central city, designed by world-renowned
‘paper architect’ Shigeru Ban
- to create a space for worship and community
activities
- To provide a venue for concerts, exhibitions and
civic events in the central city
- To encourage the return of residents and visitors
to the central city
- To strengthen the city’s international links with
Japan
- To be a beacon of hope for the rebuilding of
Christchurch

3. Transitional Cathedral:
World-renowned architect
Cardboard isn’t a material usually associated with
cutting-edge building design, but Japanese
architect Shigeru Ban is changing that. His work
has become known the world over for innovation,
creativity, sustainability, beauty and positivity.
Ban is known as “an emergency architect”, which
means in crisis situations he creates safe temporary
structures. To date he has overseen the construction
of paper log houses in Kobe and Turkey, schools in
China, clusters of paper temporary shelters in Haiti
a temporary concert hall in Italy and ‘container
housing following the recent tsunami in northern
Japan, all soon after earthquake damage. Shigeru
Ban has visited Christchurch now seven times and
designed, pro bono, a Transitional Cathedral for the
city. The building will be iconic, designed to reflect
aspects of the past in a completely new vision for
the future.

4. Transitional Cathedral:
Innovative and Sustainable
Cardboard is an ideal building material because it’s
readily available, recyclable and surprisingly strong.
“The strength of the building has nothing to do with
the strength of the material,” says Shigeru Ban. “Even
concrete buildings can be destroyed by earthquakes
very easily. But paper buildings cannot be destroyed
by earthquakes.” It’s also consistently low-cost.
“Normally after disasters the price of building
materials goes higher, but since this is not a traditional
building material, it’s very easy to get,” he says.
Ban’s temporary buildings are weatherproof, fire
resistant and secure, and have lasted for upwards
of 20 years. They can be transported easily and
deconstructed and recycled when their working life
is over.

5. Transitional Cathedral: Transitional Cathedral:
Focus for the Community Community Resilience
Since the February earthquake, there are few Shigeru Ban’s buildings are usually constructed by
remaining venues for community activities and the volunteers. When he designed temporary housing in
arts in the central city. We anticipate the Transitional Izmit, Turkey after the 1999 earthquake, the whole
Cathedral will carry on the Cathedral’s tradition of local community were involved in the build – even
open hospitality and will be a focus for a number of children as young as five. They stuffed insulation into
community ventures: the cardboard tubes. The build of the Transitional
- A contemplative space for people to reflect Cathedral will be overseen by contractors, with
-A central venue for concerts, including CSO, we hope, volunteer assistance. We would like to
Southern Opera, the City Choir, Fiona Pears and build on the experience of community resilience
popular musicians like Dave Dobbyn and Bic Runga demonstrated by the Student Volunteer Army and
- An exhibition space for local visual arts the Farmy Army and engage local people where
- A centre for community ventures including a possible, to assist in the build. Shigeru Ban has
vegetable co-op and healthy eating programme in often involved students in his emergency projects,
partnership with Canterbury DHB giving them invaluable experience working on a
- A venue for Civic Services which have included prestige project for a world-class architect. It is his
ANZAC Day, the opening of the Antarctic Season, preference to pass on his skills and knowledge to
the Floral Festival, regimental services and others. future generations – another form of sustainability.
The Transitional Cathedral will be one of the first
substantial “re-builds” in the wake of the earthquake
and welcome at a time when hundreds of other
buildings are being removed. It will be a symbol
of hope for a rebuilt, renewed Christchurch. It will
have an ‘after life’ as a a worship space for the St
John’s Anglican Church congregation following the
demolition of their church and buildings.

6. Transitional Cathedral:
Return to the Central City
The Transitional Cathedral will support the council’s
plans to promote a return to the central city. It
will complement the retail hub in Cashel Mall and
similar initiatives, as well as encourage visitors,
with a unique and innovative design. Shigeru
Ban’s buildings attract tourists. The paper church
he designed after the Kobe earthquake in Japan
was moved after 11 years to Taiwan, where it
remains today, more than 20 years after its initial
construction, as one of the most notable visitor
attractions in the country. It is recognised as a
fascinating structure of beauty and intrigue, as ours
will be.
Transitional Cathedral:
Strengthening links
Christchurch already has a sister city relationship
with Kurashiki, in the Okayama Prefecture of Japan.
Employing Shigeru Ban’s design will help build
further links between Japan and New Zealand.
The Transitional Cathedral represents a sense of
solidarity and support for reconstruction from one
earthquake-ravaged country to the other.

7. Transitional Cathedral:
Design
The design of the Transitional Cathedral is
deceptively simple. It is an A-frame structure based
on a concrete foundation, stabilised with shipping
containers. Shigeru Ban reports that the A-Frame is
the most stable shape for buildings in earthquake
zones.
The roofline rises and the building narrows towards
the sanctuary, creating a beautiful interior view
of the waves of cardboard columns as they bow
towards the altar. This is intended to welcome and
draw people in. The liturgical space is extremely
flexible – there is no fixed seating (the pews in the
model are intended for scale only). The body of the
Cathedral seats 500, and there is further space
for 200 in a ‘landing area’/ atrium at the entrance
end of the Cathedral. This is the space where it
is anticipated that hospitality will be provided.
Shigeru Ban has designed smaller container-spaces
lined with cardboard tubes accessed by ‘wave-like’
cardboard doors, and with ceiling funnels to allow
natural light.

8. The building is based on the proportions of the nave In June of that year the Prime Minister’s
of the original Cathedral. It is contextual, resembling Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust agreed to
in shape wharenui on a marae. It also nods to our provide $50,000 funding to the Cathedral Chapter
heritage: the first church in the city was a simple for a feasibility study into the transitional Cathedral.
A-frame, erected near the Avon on Lichfield Street in
January 1851. The Transitional Cathedral will seat Shigeru Ban returned to Christchurch in late July
700 people, and has a projected lifespan of well over with a design and scale model. The capital cost for
20 years. Urbis magazine has said, “The design is... the Cathedral building and an annex containing
stunning. Built, I imagine this project would have the offices, choir rehearsal rooms and additional
quiet spirituality and beauty of many other towering hospitality space has been estimated at $4-5million.
stone cathedrals, albeit in a completely different, Warren and Mahoney will soon be commissioned to
contemporary, way.” undertake detailed design which will allow a more
http://urbismagazine.com concise costing to be arrived at. It looks likely that
the cost of the building will be covered in part from
Transitional Cathedral: the Cathedral’s insurances; mainly from a Material
The Story so Far Damage indemnity payout, also from Business
At its meeting on 25 May 2011, the Cathedral Interruption contributions. Extra fundraising will
Chapter adopted the proposal for the Transitional be engaged in to cover costs related particularly to
Cathedral and confirmed the concept. Shigeru the annex facility.
Ban was approached with a view to designing a
transitional Cathedral. He agreed to the project on Construction firm Naylor Love have been appointed
a pro bono basis and in June he and his assistant, ‘Approved Contractor’ and we anticipate signing
Yoshie Narimatsu, visited Christchurch, where they a contract to commence construction in the near
were able to meet with chapter members, CPT and future. Completion of the build is expected to be
the Bishop. sometime in November 2012.

9. Transitional Cathedral:
Local Involvement
The following local companies have offered their
services pro bono for the Transitional Cathedral
project. Architects: Warren and Mahoney – Peter
Marshall and Richard McGowan. The diocesan
architects WAM are fully involved and supportive
of the concept. Richard McGowan of WAM
has described Shigeru Ban as “an international
superstar”. Project Managers: Beca – Bob Blythe and
Johnny McFarlane. Structural Engineers: Holmes
Consulting – John Hare and Stuart Oliver. Materials
testing – Chris Allington / Fire Officer – Darin Millar.
Materials: Sonoco – Andrew Ward Cardboard
tube design and manufacture. Accommodation:
The George Hotel – Bruce Garrett. Providing pro
bono accomodation for Shigeru Ban and Yoshie
Narimatsu on their visits to Christchurch. Air
New Zealand - Providing sponsorship to facilitate
international travel.

10. Transitional Cathedral:
Safe as Houses, Sign of Hope
Paper may appear to be a fragile material, but it is
also able to bear substantial pressure. The same Contacts:
could be said of the people who have suffered
from the Christchurch earthquakes. At first they Fiona Summerfield
are vulnerable, grieving and struggling to put Diocesan Media Advisor
their lives back together. But as time goes by they Ph 027 515 8224
prove their resilience, and in the end they find media@anglicanlife.org.nz
themselves stronger than before. The Transitional
Cathedral presents an opportunity to tell the Rev Craig Dixon
story of Christchurch’s damaged heritage, while ChristChurch Cathedral.
building for the future; to provide a central venue Ph 021 239 0555
for community events and worship, to encourage devmanager@christchurchcathedral.co.nz
community resilience, attract tourists and build
links with Japan.
Through the Transitional Cathedral, we hope to
rebuild and strengthen the connection between
people and communities, and provide a symbol of
hope as we travel the road to recovery.
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