Library exhibition spotlights iconic pre-quake buildings
Christchurch City Council Newsline: 17th April 2024
The architectural landscape of Christchurch looks very different to 100 years ago, with post-quake buildings like Tūranga reflecting our resilience and bicultural values.
Cecil Wood was a leading New Zealand architect a century ago, designing some of Christchurch’s most iconic buildings – including the former State Insurance Building at 116 Worcester Street.
The building was designed in 1931, constructed in 1945-35 and opened on 20th August 1935, becoming a landmark for Cantabrians.
The architectural designs for the State building will be on display at a Tūranga exhibition called "Drawing Connections" - running until Sunday 19th May 2024.
“We have a variety of original drawings in the exhibition, with the oldest from 1919 and others from the 1930s,” says Exhibition Curator and University of Canterbury Library Archivist, Erin Kimber.
“The plans are often proposals, so some of the drawings aren’t actually how the buildings ended up. Cecil Woods really was a visual artist, and this is shown through his craftsmanship on display,” says Ms Kimber.
The State Fire department occupied the ground floor, Lands and Deeds on the first and second and the Lands and Survey Department on the top two floors.
Its classical design incorporated stylised Māori motifs and influence from Art Deco styling, which was becoming popular in Napier after the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake.
The building was occupied by the Design & Arts College in recent times and was closed after being damaged in the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, and is now being restored.
“The current restoration of the State building is a testament to resilience and architectural preservation. It serves as a poignant reminder of our local contribution to the global architectural narrative,” says Ms Kimber.
“The idea with this exhibition is that people will be in the Tūranga space and think how historic and contemporary architecture can co-exist.”
Find out more about the "Drawing Connections: Exploring the architecture of Cecil Wood" exhibition - currently on at Tūranga’s Te Pito Huarewa / Southbase Gallery until Sunday 19th May 2024.