Earthquake strengthening

Future-proofing our building

City Gallery — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Wellington City Council is earthquake strengthening and upgrading our City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi building.

You’ve got to be bloody kidding me!

Eye of the Fish — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

RNZ News headline today: “Govt spends $10m to fix national war memorial bells, fires only person who can play” The government spent over $10 million...

Common Ground?

Thistle Hall Community Venue — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT

This event is part of the Aotearoa Festival of Architecture, by Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects. When Kaikoura shook, photographer Andy Spain got Wellington's list of earthquake prone buildings and started photographing them. The idea of fixing time became appealing, as many of the buildings were demolished. When asked to exhibit them together however, Andy began to ask what these remnants meant. He visited the petals saved from Athfield's church of First Church of Christ Scientist and saw their fragility. He talked to architects about remedial work which never saw the light of day. What were the consequences of all these traces existing in a time when the fates of many Wellington buildings are so contested? Where heritage competes with social housing, which competes with sustainable reuse, and so on. So, this exhibition is not about the photographs that have been taken, or the drawings drawn, or the artworks saved. It is about how we decide to use these remnants, and what stories we want them to tell.

Earthquake-prone Buildings - Terms of Reference for the review

Inner-City Wellington — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Source: Scoop Parliament Hon Chris Penk Minister for Building and Construction Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced that the review into better managing the risks of earthquake-prone buildings has commenced.

Watch the Livestream recording of the recent ‘Living with Earthquake Risk - have we got it right’ public meeting

Inner-City Wellington — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

On Thursday 22 February 2024 at St Peter’s Church on Willis Street the folks from Live Wellington held a public meeting to discuss the hot topics of earthquake-prone buildings and affordable insurance for apartment buildings.

Te Pae Tiaki Wellington ED, Wellington Regional Hospital – earthquake strengthening update

Hutt Valley District Health Board — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Update from Te Whatu Ora Capital, Coast & Hutt Valley Acting Group Director Operations Hospital & Specialist Services Jamie Duncan

More Town Hall

Eye of the Fish — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks to Greenwelly for alerting me to the substantial report on the WCC website, which is both exhausting, and fascinating. There will be a book...

Town Hall rebuild costs go sky high

Eye of the Fish — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As far as cost blowouts go, this is a big one, and heads should roll. We here at the Fish have written about the old...

Update on ICW's complaint to The Ombudsman

Inner-City Wellington — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Complaint to the Ombudsman The complaint was finally submitted on 9 September 2023, nearly a year after we started drafting in earnest, and 4.

Do you have a heritage building? There's a new guide

Inner-City Wellington — Thu, 04 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

From WCC We've produced a new guide to support heritage building owners who need to strengthen their properties against earthquakes.

Dixon Street flats

Eye of the Fish — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

But the big news this week has to be the somewhat silly news that the Dixon Street flats are being emptied out and there is not a clear story of what happens to the building next. This is not a sob storey like the Gordon Wilson Flats just around the corner – well, at least, it hasn’t started off the same.

Increased seismic rankings

Eye of the Fish — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT

The news was only out yesterday, and briefly mentioned on the news, but I have a horrible feeling that this is going to have a...

Wellington City Council 2022 Elections - what is being said about Earthquake-Prone Buildings?

Inner-City Wellington — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Wellington City Council 2022 Elections - what is being said about Earthquake-Prone Buildings?The following is an update sent out via our eNewsletter from Geraldine Murphy - ICW's spokesperson on seismic matters.

Building Update - 1 September 2022

All Saints Hataitai — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We thought we would give you an update about what has happened in regards to our building recently - which in short is not much!As part of our MAP - Taking Flight process we were looking at some options of what could buildings be used for in this parish in the future and I am sure that has sparked some discussion and some ideas that might be floating around. The Brick Building In July, we received a letter from the Council asking us for an engineering report as they had identified that the building was potentially an earthquake risk. In working with the Diocese we provided the engineering report that was done a while ago (which subsequently meant we could not use the building). Therefore you will see on the doors of the building there are now official notices from the council stating the risk of the building's earthquake rating. It also states on it that we have until 2 July 2037 to rectify the situation.

Earthquake-prone buildings - these are the questions - who has the answers ?

Inner-City Wellington — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Letter to the Editor by Geraldine Murphy, ICW Spokesperson on Seismic Matters published in the Dominion Post.

Celebration

Eye of the Fish — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

In an announcement released quietly on 4th July, by MBIE, there is some massive cause for celebration. “MBIE advises seismically vulnerable buildings can remain occupied”...

Heard about St James Theatre opening events ? today (Friday) & tomorrow!

Inner-City Wellington — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

From website After three years of significant earthquake strengthening and refurbishment, the jewel in the crown of Wellington’s live performance scene is reopening.

Did you hear about the St James opening day celebrations?

Inner-City Wellington — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 22:06:06 GMT

From WCC website St James Theatre celebrations After three years of significant earthquake strengthening and refurbishment, the St James Theatre is now fit for the next 100 years of arts and culture in Wellington.

Farewelling the museum

Cricket Wellington — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

When the New Zealand Cricket Museum closed its doors in early 2019 for earthquake strengthening, the Museum and its collection faced an uncertain future. Fast forward two years and the Museum has been brought back to life, transformed from the original Museum that stood since 1987 into a modern, visually compelling space filled with stories and memoirs from some of New Zealand cricket’s most memorable moments. Behind the transformation is the museum’s curator, Owen Mann, who will move on from his role this month after two years of tireless effort to bring the tales of our great game back home.

Earthquake strengthening fundraising update

St John's in the City — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 00:02:41 GMT

St John’s set out to raise $4.

Shaky ground

Eye of the Fish — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT

“Standing on shaky ground, ever since you put me down…” sang the Temptations and it resonates deeply with people of Wellington. We all know that our isles are shaky, and our city has the potential to be shaky in the extreme, but what we perhaps don’t know is just how shaky our particular patch of dirt is beneath our own two feet. I’ve been doing a bit more looking into this – starting with this post we blogged on Tsunami and then I found this other study, on Wellington’s rocky substrate. It’s quite an eye-opener.

Earthquake strengthening to begin in May

Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club (Inc) — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 20:41:56 GMT

The Club’s earthquake strengthening project will begin in May 2021.

Aitken Memorial Window - St John’s in the City Earthquake Strengthening Fund

St John's in the City — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 04:17:00 GMT

As of 26 June 2020 Do you want to sponsor a panel of the Aitken Memorial Window as a donation towards the Earthquake Strengthening Fund? Sponsorship can be $250, $500, or $1,000 amounts. For a contribution please follow the instructions below:Bank Account Number: 02 0500 0021908 01Reference: WindowAmount of sponsorship: $________________ and email the church office at enquiries@stjohnsinthecity.org.nz with your details so a receipt can be issued or if you want your name to appear on the panel that you have sponsored.

St John’s Church strengthening project

St John's in the City — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

St John’s has been part of Wellington since 1853.

November Board update

Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club (Inc) — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 20:15:12 GMT

This month has been a busy but successful month, with more success in our earthquake strengthening fundraising campaign, and the renewal of our arrangement with Black & Gold Events to manage the Wardroom.

Earthquake Strengthening – update

Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club (Inc) — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 06:59:19 GMT

It’s time for an update on the earthquake strengthening project.

RPNYC – Seismic and Interior Upgrade

Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club (Inc) — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 23:06:49 GMT

See below the current working drawings and the separate project specifications for the earthquake strengthening project. Earthquake strengthening – DRAFT drawings Earthquake strengthening – DRAFT architectural specification

Urban Dream Brokerage to close in Wellington with a call to support artists developing work independently in the city

Urban Dream Brokerage — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 08:37:55 GMT

Brides, Barbarian Productions, Bowen House, 2013 A letter to our city, our artists, our property owners, our supporters. We have loved changing Wellington City’s dynamic through Letting Space’s Urban Dream Brokerage service - with thanks to some remarkable creative people, property owners and the funding of the Wellington City Council and Wellington Community Trust. Over the past five and half years, Urban Dream Brokerage in Wellington has placed over 300 creators and artists in 45 spaces with 61 projects. Images and details of these can be found here, including three new, current projects. Some have been short, others have lasted much longer – the amazing group Coliberate have just finished 18 months running a mental health gym in Featherston Street, for example. On 30th June we come to the end of a three-year contract with Wellington City Council for the delivery of the service. Letting Space has made the decision not to renew this contract. Rather we will do new work under the auspices of our trust, the Wellington Independent Arts Trust. We all continue to look for ways to make Wellington a diverse and people-oriented place. In terms of the brokerage, property owners will tell you they are facing unprecedented issues with earthquake strengthening plus a far higher demand for retail spaces in the city than when we began, during a recession. It has got harder and harder for us to find spare spaces in a popular little city. It remains key work to provide infrastructure for independent artists. This is our challenge to council, to organisations, to all: if you wish Wellington to remain creative you need to prioritise directly supporting the city's most dynamic artists, through funds or resources such as space. It is in their hands, not established organisations or events, that the future lies. This needs new and different energies right now. We also need to celebrate and thank our city. The UDB projects have seen artists and other creatives consistently and uniquely challenge the expectation of the city’s offerings. They have helped us recognise that our city needs to provide diverse living spaces for all, where many people feel included and new ideas can take shape. Where artists and other creatives have the space to grow new enterprises and ways of working, developing their own interaction with the city. This has led to us working in Dunedin - where a programme now thrives, and programmes in Porirua and Masterton, as well as providing inspiration and advice to other cities nationwide and overseas. We’ve helped along the way with the development of proposals with many groups and in this last year have offered a monthly lunchtime gathering and podcast and, currently, a mentoring programme. We’ve loved working with artists and makers, helping them see their ideas to fruition. Many have gone on to develop stronger practices and businesses as part of the city. We continue to believe this kind of work is vital and special to Wellington’s identity. A place where artists feel they can be part of the city’s fabric. It’s something that helped the notion of being a ‘creative capital’. We’re thrilled to see artist run spaces like Te Haukāinga, meanwhile and play_station join others in the CBD in the last two years – artists are stepping up and taking on property. Others also need to lead and some are looking for space. In May 2017 we conducted focus groups and surveyed of artists with experience in working in unconventional spaces about what they really need to stay active and sustained in Wellington. A report on this can be found here. We think it’s time to heed the lead of authorities like Dunedin City Council currently and work actively to see how artists can be more embedded in infrastructure. Artists need more than event presentation space and promotion - they need space for development, where they can collaborate and be more part of the city. They suffer from a lack of the working spaces and connections that other creatives are gaining from co-share working spaces. Artists need to be funded to be artists - to develop, think and contribute to Wellington’s public, private and government institutions. It’s about artists working to be more embedded dynamic activators of the city. And it’s about recognising artists’ time and need for development potential, rather than seeing them as temporary pop-ups, or as free agents of lightweight cool projects. It's about seeing them as contributors to our city’s development. We hope Urban Dream Brokerage has helped challenge what exchange means for Wellington’s CBD - non-commercial activity as a vital part of the urban infrastructure. Projects like Moodbank, People’s Cinema, Co-Liberate, Political Cuts, to name a few, have gone on to have lives in other places, following the legacy of Letting Space produced and curated projects in the city like Kim Paton’s Freestore. Temporary sometimes leads to permanent, but even without physical legacy we think the traces of the network that has been created have a lasting resonance for many creators in Wellington. Urban Dream Brokerage ends in June but we are encouraging others to pick up the challenge to do this work. Never underestimate the generosity there is amongst property and business owners who understand how value in a city needs to work in different ways and are committed to Wellington’s arts ecosystem. Expect knockbacks, but hold to your vision! We are making our resources, forms and processes available through Creative Commons for anyone to pick up. A link to these will be posted on our website, our blog and through our social media threads soon. All three of us are looking forward to continuing to work with our many dear friends and valued colleagues to continue to make Wellington such a special place to live and work. Thank you for the amazing work you do. Ngā mihi, Helen, Mark and Sophie Letting Space

I will if you do

Victoria University of Wellington — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Research by Victoria University of Wellington PhD Psychology student Lauren Vinnell has found that social norms affect support for earthquake strengthening legislation.

Wellington office building

Eye of the Fish — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 00:00:00 GMT

I’m very excited to see that work is really going ahead on the replacement for BP House in Wellington.