Budget Building, But What A Beauty!

Christchurch’s cathedral replacement will be a cardboard creation!
The temporary cathedral will serve as a place for worship and gathering until a new church is built, according to the Christchurch Cathedral website. Then it will become the worship centre for the St John’s parish, whose Church, vicarage and hall had to be demolished following the Feb 22nd quake. The structure - of cardboard tubes, timber, steel and concrete - is intended to last for more than 20 years.
Richard Gray from the Transitional Cathedral Group: "the cathedral will attract national and international interest, drawing additional visitors to the city." It will cost up to $5m, most of which is already in hand. The 700-seat building was designed free-of-charge by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. It'll be an A-frame structure on a concrete foundation, stabilised with shipping containers (now such a familiar and integral sight around post-EQ Christchurch). It will also provide a venue for concerts, exhibitions, civic and community events, something currently lacking post-Feb.22nd. An ancillary building (linked containers) will sit alongside the Cathedral and include a café and shop along with meeting rooms, amenities and offices.
Demolition of the Cathedral began last month, after officials said the 130yr.old building was beyond repair. The new structure will be built on the site of the destroyed St. John’s Church at Latimer Square (cnr.of Hereford and Madras Sts), on the edge of the "red zone" and two blocks to the east from Cathedral Square where the original cathedral is being taken apart.
Work begins next week, and should be finished by this Christmas!