Who are the five firms shortlisted for the Cathedral Square revamp?

Thursday, 9 July 2026

Cathedral Square is at the heart of the city, but neighbours describe it as a “wasteland” holding Christchurch back. (File photo)

The Christchurch City Council has revealed the five firms that have made the shortlist for Cathedral Square’s revamp.

The city council has budgeted $28.5 million for redeveloping the square at the heart of the city, which has been described by one neighbouring building owner as a “wasteland” that is holding Christchurch back.

The council’s previous call for expressions of interest from groups wanting to develop a new concept design for the square attracted 13 responses. Five were shortlisted and will be asked to formally submit their proposals.

Jasmax was one of the designers of Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium.

The five landscape architectural firms that made the shortlist are Jasmax Central Limited; Isthmus Group Limited; LandLAB Limited; Wraight Athfield Landscape Architecture; and Warren & Mahoney Architects.

Jasmax Central

Jasmax is an architecture and design firm with studios across New Zealand and Australia. According to the NZ Companies Office, it is registered to an Auckland address, but also has an office in Christchurch.

It boasts an impressive portfolio of both buildings and outdoor urban spaces across the country, and worked with Kāinga Ora on an entire neighbourhood plan in Auckland.

Isthmus was a contributor to Wellington’s award-winning Oriental Bay urban design project.

Local highlights the firm had a hand in include Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium; The Terrace on Oxford Tce in Christchurch; Christchurch Airport’s regional terminal; Christchurch Boys’ High School’s 2017 auditorium; and the Deloitte Building on Cambridge Tce.

Jasmax declined to comment on its proposal for Cathedral Square at this stage.

Isthmus Group

Isthmus is also an architecture and design firm. It too is based in Auckland, but has a Christchurch office.

LandLAB’s Avon River Park Terraces + City Promenade design in Christchurch was a finalist for the World Architecture Festival (WAF) Landscape Urban Project Award.

Its wide-ranging projects include wind farms, botanic gardens, zoo habitats, and community master plans.

South Island highlights include three sections of the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor; Te Kura o Wairakei school’s refurbishment; and ongoing long-term projects like the Timaru CityTown CBD regeneration project, and the post-2021 floods Westport Master Plan.

Isthmus also declined to comment.

Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, designed by Wraight Athfield Landscape Architecture.

LandLAB

Again headquartered in Auckland, LandLAB is a landscape and urban design specialist firm. It also has an office in Melbourne.

LandLAB has ties to Ōtautahi as the driving force behind the award-winning Avon River Park Terraces city promenade area, plus the Putahi Whakatatetonga public greenway that runs for seven blocks between Tuam and St Asaph streets.

Christchurch-based Warren & Mahoney had a hand in Christchurch’s Te Pae convention centre.

LandLAB did not respond to request for comment.

Wraight Athfield Landscape Architecture

Wraight Athfield Landscape Architecture is a partnership between Athfield Architects and Wraight + Associates landscape architects, both of Wellington. They also have offices in Christchurch and Auckland.

Together, they designed Wellington’s Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, and the capital’s 6-hectare Waitangi Park.

Wraight Athfield declined to comment.

Warren and Mahoney Architects New Zealand

Warren and Mahoney is the only designer on the shortlist founded and headquartered in Christchurch, with a 70-year history in the city. It has offices across New Zealand and Australia.

The firm works on everything from bridges to sports centres, and has played a part in some of Christchurch’s most iconic post-earthquake buildings. These include Te Pae convention centre, and the One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha.

Warren and Mahoney said it was also unable to provide comment at this stage.

Designs will eventually go out for public feedback

City council strategy and planning general manager John Higgins said all five shortlisted organisations were identified during the expression of interest process as being “suitably qualified and experienced”.

All five were expected to submit proposals for the square. Higgins said the council had not yet confirmed a deadline for this.

“The request for proposal stage is currently being prepared, and time lines will be communicated to participants as part of that process,” he said.

As the next step, the council would appoint an internal evaluation panel of four people, representing various disciplines relevant to the project, who will assess all five submissions.

Higgins said a single supplier would then be asked to develop a concept plan.

“That concept plan will form part of a broader communication and engagement process, which is designed to ensure that key stakeholders and elected members have the opportunity to provide input and shape the final concept.

“Decisions around progressing to public consultation will be informed through this process, with the decision to go out to public consultation being made at a council meeting.”

The last design for Cathedral Square, released in 2018 by the now defunct rebuild planning agency Regenerate Christchurch, cost $1m and took several years to develop. It was expected to cost $60m to $80m and featured a lattice-style overhead shelter, no through traffic, and mixed paved and tree-studded green spaces.