Transitional Cathedral, Christchurch

After the February 2011 earthquake, the Christ Church Cathedral Group contacted world-renowned architect Shigeru Ban to design a temporary cathedral which could seat 700 people. His innovative solution was an A-frame structure with massive cardboard tube rafters.

Naylor Love was heavily involved in the in the design phase of this world-first project, providing a great deal of practical building advice to complement Ban’s amazing design. An LVL-steel skeleton was developed to add seismic strength to the structure, as required under the building code. This made it one of the first engineered timber/steel hybrid structures in the country, a concept which has gained acceptance as a practical solution to increase the use of engineered timber in New Zealand’s seismic conditions.

We’re delighted that both locals and visitors have embraced the “Cardboard Cathedral” as a place of worship, an arts venue and a much-photographed tourist destination. Christchurch’s first iconic post-quake building is set to endure for many years.