In 2011 on the 22nd of February, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 hit Christchurch, New Zealand, resulting in 185 fatalities. Many buildings were ruined or damaged including the neo-gothic Anglican cathedral. This led locals to look for a temporary solution, in order for them to continue their worship.
Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, renowned for his work with timber, paper, and bamboo, volunteered his design prowess. There was a need for a cost-effective, quick-to-build, durable structure that could serve the community while the old cathedral was rebuilt. This set of circumstances fitted perfectly with Ban’s design style and the cardboard cathedral was born.
Construction
The main element of the structure is large, stacked cardboard tubes, each measuring 8 meters in length in 30 centimetres in diameter. They are protected from the elements by layers of waterproof polyurethane coatings, designed to be strong enough to survive any future seismic activity, yet also being light, easy to transport, and quick to manufacture.
Volunteers helped to assemble the building on site, and with the modular nature of the cardboard tubes, combined with their weight, there was no need for expensive machinery or specialised equipment.
The overall form is based on the traditional Gothic cathedral design, with a huge triangular timber roof providing strength and creating a sense of verticality and grandeur. Construction was finished in 2013, after starting in 2012, showcasing the effectiveness of using a hybrid of traditional materials alongside less commonly used sources.
Sustainability
Using cardboard as the primary material in the construction of a large-scale project was bold and unusual, yet highly sustainable. It also represented a symbol of the power of nature, as nature had destroyed their original cathedral but also made up their new one, as it would be made from natural elements from the earth.
It was intended as a temporary solution, but its success and iconic status led to discussions about its permanence. In 2019, it was officially recognized as the Cathedral of Christchurch, and although there are still plans for a more permanent replacement, the Cardboard Cathedral remains an integral part of the city’s post-earthquake identity.
The Cardboard Cathedral is widely regarded as a symbol of resilience and creativity in the face of disaster. Its design demonstrated how architecture can respond to urgent needs with innovation, using materials in ways that challenge traditional building practices. It also showed that we can still make technological advancements with simple materials that have been around for centuries.
