An Audio Walking Guide To Ōtautahi Architecture
Explore Ōtautahi Christchurch through its architecture and hear the stories of some of its special buildings. Meet historians, architects and other people with deep connections to these places.
Hear about Charlie the theatre ghost. Learn about how we have memorialised 10 nurses lost on a World War 1 troop ship. Discover how partnering with mana whenua has created what some describe as the best new building in our city and much, much more.
Brought to you by Te Pūtahi Centre for Architecture and City Making from their annual architecture festival Open Christchurch. This project received a grant from the Christchurch City Council Intangible Heritage Grant Fund.
65 Cambridge Terrace
Understand the beginnings of the Christchurch Modern by learning about this 1960s former home and office of Warren & Mahoney
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65 Cambridge Terrace - Parties
Listen to colourful memories from a former Warren & Mahoney architect as he shares the stories of a few famous parties related to this building once owned the late Sir Miles Warren.
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Cuningham House history
Hear the story of a family rift that resulted in the construction of this classic English orangery.
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Cuningham House plant tour
Tour the tropical house with Botanic Gardens director Wolfgang Bopp.
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Nurses Memorial Chapel
Learn the story of the world's only purpose-built hospital chapel which commemorates nurses who died in the Great War.
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Nurses Memorial Chapel museum
Explore the treasures of the museum that commemorates the World War 1 nurses who were killed in a torpedo strike in the Aegean Sea.
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Isaac Theatre Royal exterior
Learn about the history of this theatre, built in 1908, and its post-quake restoration.
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Isaac Theatre Royal interior
Discover an original chandelier and learn about the theatre's new approach to the "cheap seats".
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Judy's story of the Isaac Theatre Royal
Meet Judy Mackenzie, who started work at the Isaac Theatre Royale in 1948 when she was just 14. She worked there for more than 50 years, becoming the manager and living in the flat above the theatre.
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Isaac Theatre Royal ghost stories
Hear haunting stories from former theatre manager Judy Mackenzie and long-time employee Lianne Hawthorne.
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Arts Centre Clock Tower Gothic architecture
Learn about how colonial values are reflected in this - the first purpose-built university building designed in New Zealand - from architectural historian Ian Lochhead.
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Arts Centre Clock Tower human history
Learn about Ernest Rutherford and other people who studied or taught in these buildings and went on to change the world.
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CoCA Toi Moroki exterior
Discover exterior details of this modernist, purpose-built art gallery with Pippin Wright-Stow, who worked on the restoration of the building post-quake.
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CoCA Toi Moroki Ō Raki Mair Gallery
This modernist, purpose-built gallery is an artwork in itself.
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CoCA Toi Moroki Gallery background
The Canterbury Society of Arts has been supporting arts in Christchurch for more than 140 years.
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CoCA Toi Moroki gallery ground floor lifts
Get up close to the raw concrete shear walls that strengthen this purpose-built art gallery.
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St Michael and All Angels exterior
Learn about the significance of this early Christchurch building and some teenage mischief associated with the bell tower in the 1850s.
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St Michael and All Angels interior
Explore the timber Gothic interior with architectural historian Jenny May.
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Old Government Buildings Exterior
Learn about how this fine example of an Italian Renaissance Revival building marked a turning point for colonial Christchurch with architectural historian and building conservator Jenny May.
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Old Government Buildings interior
Discover the details of this Italian Renaissance Revival building and learn about the people who worked here with architectural historian Jenny May.
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Tūranga
Learn how this building was designed in partnership with mana whenua to reflect the cultural heritage of Ōtautahi Christchurch.
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Christchurch Town Hall
Learn about this iconic and first-of-its kind building, which became the living room of the city, with architectural historian Dr Jessica Halliday.
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