Warren and Mahoney joins Catholic cathedral project

Sunday, 8 June 2025

The Christchurch Catholic cathedral project has found its architects in iconic firm Warren and Mahoney, the diocese announced on Sunday.

The Christchurch based architectural firm - behind the city’s town hall, Te Pae Convention Centre and the Justice Precinct - will design the new Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament and the surrounding precinct on Barbadoes St.

Bishop Michael Gielen said the diocese hoped and expected the Catholic Cathedral would regain its status as one of the country’s “architectural treasures”.

“We were fortunate to have significant interest from possible partners for this project. We are confident that Warren and Mahoney will walk with us in building a worthy house of worship to glorify God and to welcome His people,” he said.

“It will be a place where heaven and earth meet.”

Joseph Hampton, Warren and Mahoney’s project leader, said being chosen was a great honour and responsibility.

The firm was one of several which received an invitation from the diocese in March to pitch a design, based on a design brief based on community feedback and expert working groups.

It was “a generational project” for the studio and practice, he said, and they were ready to develop an exceptional design.

“Cathedrals are incredibly powerful places that evoke a sense of unity, ritual and tradition by using all the tools we have as architects – volume, acoustics and light in its varying forms,” said Jonathan Coote, head of design at Warren and Mahoney’s Christchurch team. *

The precinct masterplan will include existing education and community functions with administrative offices, parking and multi-purpose spaces.

In March, the diocese said a final design was expected to be ready within 12 months.

*** CORRECTION: In our original article, published on June 7, words by Jonathan Coote - head of design at Warren and Mahoney’s Christchurch team - were wrongly attributed to *Warren and Mahoney’s project leader* Joseph Hampton.**