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185 empty chairs

2011 Christchurch earthquakeChristchurch Central CityCultural infrastructure completed in 2012Monuments and memorials in New ZealandOutdoor sculptures in Christchurch
185 Empty Chairs, Christchurch, New Zealand
185 Empty Chairs, Christchurch, New Zealand

185 empty chairs, also known as 185 white chairs or 185 empty white chairs or simply as 185 chairs, is an unofficial memorial for the 185 individuals who died in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Envisaged as a short-term installation made from chairs painted white, it has become a major tourist attraction in Christchurch, New Zealand. Installed at the day of the earthquake's first anniversary, it preceded the official earthquake memorial—the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial—by five years. As of 2017, there is a desire to turn the temporary installation into a permanent fixture.

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185 empty chairs
Cashel Street, Christchurch Central City

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Latitude Longitude
N -43.53329 ° E 172.64298 °
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Cashel Street 236A
8011 Christchurch, Central City
Canterbury, New Zealand
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185 Empty Chairs, Christchurch, New Zealand
185 Empty Chairs, Christchurch, New Zealand
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Christchurch Club
Christchurch Club

The Christchurch Club is a historic gentlemen's club in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand. The older of the two Christchurch clubs, it was founded by rural landholders in 1856; the rival organisation, the Canterbury Club, was a breakaway that was founded by urban professionals in 1872. The Christchurch Club, originally simply known as The Club, was founded by wealthy runholders in 1856. George Ross was one of the founding members. At first, premises were rented in Durham Street for members who were visiting Christchurch to use. Benjamin Mountfort, Christchurch's pre-eminent architect, was engaged to design the club's building for the site adjacent to Latimer Square on Worcester Street. The design is unusual and unique for Mountfort, and is thought to be a compromise between an Italian Palazzo architecture preferred by the club members that can be found in the Travellers and Reform Clubs in London, and Mountfort's preference for a Gothic architecture. The chosen Italian Villa style was seen as relatively informal yet elegant and rural. The building was erected in 1861–62. Due to the composition of its membership, the Christchurch Club was "an informal seat of power in nineteenth century Canterbury". The building was registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (since renamed to Heritage New Zealand) on 2 April 1985 as a Category I historic place.The Christchurch Club building suffered significant damage in the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, and as of April 2016 operates out of the George Hotel while the historic premises are under repair. There have been a number of attempts over the decades for the two Christchurch clubs to merge again, and the last such proposal was discussed in 2013.

Community of the Sacred Name
Community of the Sacred Name

The Community of the Sacred Name is a convent and chapel in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand. The second Anglican bishop of Christchurch, Churchill Julius, wanted to see a community of nuns established in Christchurch. Edith Mellish from London was chosen and she arrived in Christchurch in August 1893. She founded the Community of the Sisters of Bethany, and in 1895, the sisters moved to Barbadoes Street.Originally, three buildings were erected on the corner of Barbadoes and St Asaph Streets. The first two were known as Deaconess House, with the first of these a simple one-storey designed by Benjamin Mountfort; he was one of New Zealand's most eminent architects and gave Christchurch a unique architectural identity. The second building was added in 1900, running perpendicular to the first building at two storeys high. This second building was designed by Cyril Mountfort, the son of Benjamin Mountfort, and contained the chapel. The third building, fronting Barbadoes Street, was designed by John Goddard Collins of Armson, Collins and Harman and built in 1911–12. It was a prominent two-storey brick building, hiding the original buildings behind it. In 1912, the community was renamed to avoid confusion with another community, and they were from then known as the Community of the Sacred Name.The brick building was damaged in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and later demolished. The sisters sold the remaining timber buildings to a charity called 'Home and Family'. A restoration deal was brokered by Heritage New Zealand, with the organisation itself, the Lotteries Commission, and Christchurch City Council significantly contributing to the NZ$2.9m renovation and repair costs.The buildings are registered by Heritage New Zealand as a Category I item, with registration number 4387 registered on 15 February 1990.

Majestic Theatre, Christchurch
Majestic Theatre, Christchurch

Majestic Theatre was an Art Deco cinema building in Christchurch, New Zealand. Majestic Theatre opened on 1 March 1930, and for almost 40 years, operated as a cinema and theatre venue. Designed by the architectural firm of Sidney and Alfred Luttrell in the late 1920s, it was the final project in the Majestic Theatre programme, which saw several cinemas built across New Zealand. Majestic Theatre opened as the largest cinema in the city, and was the first building in Christchurch to be built with a complete steel frame. It housed a two-tier auditorium with 1650 seats, and also featured office space (originally tenanted by the Department of Labour) and shops on the ground floor. In 1946, shortly after being acquired by Sir Robert Kerridge, the building was damaged in a fire, and underwent renovations overseen by architect Harry Francis Willis. Following the growth of television in New Zealand in the 1960s, which impacted cinema ticket sales, Majestic Theatre utilised its large space to increasingly host stage performances. Notable performers included The Beatles, The Kinks, Manfred Mann and The Dave Clark Five, as well as successful long-running shows such as Startime Spectacular. In August 1970, Majestic Theatre officially closed following a second fire started in the dress circle. It was remodelled into a nightclub named Moby Dick’s Nite Spot, which operated until the mid-1970s when a third fire damaged the venue. The building was acquired by the Christchurch Revival Fellowship and reopened in 1978, and became known as Majestic Church in its later years. Majestic Theatre incurred moderate damage in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and was immediately closed. As a Category 2 scheduled heritage building, heritage advocates and members of the Christchurch City Council argued the building should be saved. However, in a controversial decision, the CCDU department of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) decided to demolish the building as part of their central city rebuild plan. Small protests and campaigns were held in attempt to save the building, but demolition went ahead in May 2014.