"Before after" public forum on Christchurch earthquake recovery

The New Zealand Institute of Architects hosted a series of panel discussions on the earthquake recovery in Christchurch under the banner Before After. The themes were: Heritage and Character, Urban Design; Residential; Transport and Infrastructure; and Environmental Planning; with a wrap-up entitled "Where to from here?".

ViaStrada director Andrew Macbeth was on the panel for the transportation forum, along with well-known Wellington architect Ian Athfield and geographer Dr Simon Kingham from the University of Canterbury. An audience of over 100 was fully engaged with the panel through an insightful series of questions. A consensus emerged for a more sustainable transport system (emphasising walking, cycling and public transport while managing our traffic and parking) well integrated with land use, and reinforcing a strong and vibrant central city. Andrew emphasised the need for collaboration amongst the professions (including architects, landscape architects, planners, urban designers, traffic engineers, transport planners - and more broadly to include health professionals, land developers, banks, politicians and the public), a recommendation of the Urban Design Protocol. Andrew's presentation is available here.