Architecture, urbanism and its broken relationships

The example above is a nice new building, but what is its sin?

If you have already worked out and are thinking it is a matter of building regulations, try comparing to its next-door neighbour. In nice days we can even find tables and chairs on the footpath….

Buildings are much more than inhabitable blocks. They are urban elements, they have the potential of creating inside-outside relationships, they activate (or not!) streets, they can provide human (or car, for that matter) scale at the ground level.

Unfortunately this is not the only example. As in many other cases emerging in post-earthquake Christchurch, we have been missing opportunities of working our way to the vibrant city we have been dreaming of in the last four years.

What do you think?