Restoration brings new life to old Christchurch Arts Centre building

Sunday, 12 May 2019

The school of art building was built as Christchurch Girls' High School.

Another piece of the Christchurch Arts Centre jigsaw puzzle is finished with the opening of the complex's school of art building.

An open day on Sunday gave the public their first look inside the 1870s building since the earthquakes.

Sally Connolly looks out over the south quadrangle from inside the school of arts building.

The building, on the corner of Hereford St and Rolleston Ave, has been rescued as part of the Arts Centre's $290 million programme of repairs and restoration.

The work included strengthening and specialised craftsmanship such as stone carving.

The newly-restored school of art building is on the corner of Hereford St and Rolleston Ave.

Restored spaces are available for public hire or private lease.

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Paddy Smart admires restored timber and plaster work in the school of art building.

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The building has a workshop, a 'messy' community arts space, and a community meeting room available to hire for meetings, classes, workshops and other activities. It also has space for lease for hospitality outlets and offices.

Visitors at the open day expressed delight at the combination of restored intricate details and wide open spaces.

The School of Arts building has a category one heritage listing and was originally built as Christchurch Girls' High School.

It then served as the University of Canterbury's arts school and library overflow until the university left the campus for Ilam. At the time of the quakes the building housed Annie's Wine Bar and Restaurant, a publishing firm, a printing company, and music administration offices.

Strengthening work done with a Canterbury Community Trust grant in 2007 meant the building withstood the quakes better than most other parts of the Arts Centre.

The quake repairs were completed in March but the public opening was delayed due to the mosque attacks.

More than two-thirds of the Arts Centre's 23 buildings have now reopened and have occupants including boutique shops, eateries, galleries, and museums.

The gothic revival complex is owned and looked after by a trust on behalf of the people of Canterbury.

Under way now is work on the engineering, physics, biology and observatory buildings.

A hotel will go into the physics and biology buildings, while the trust is raising $10m to restore the observatory tower.