Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial

On the 22nd February 2011 a large earthquake hit Christchurch (New Zealand). The earthquake took the lives of 185 people and destroyed large parts of the city. Exactly six years later, on the 22 February 2017, the ‘Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial’ was inaugurated. The project was the focus of a design competition which had 331 entries, submitted by professionals from 37 countries. Six projects were chosen as finalists, and they came from New York, (USA), Sydney (Australia), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Bordeaux (France), Auckland and Christchurch (New Zealand). The selection process was completely anonymous and the winner was the Slovenian architect Grega Vezjak.

” The project recognised the value of the Avon River, the opportunity of the sunny side. This project, as all great ideas, is a simple idea.” (Rob Kerr, Development Director of The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial).

More information can be found here, including an incredible documentary which tells a bit the earthquake story and its impacts, and lot about the competition and entries to this magnificent memorial.