CTV Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids CTV Building |
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CTV Building in 2004
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| General information | |
| Type | Office building |
| Location | Christchurch Central City |
| Address | 243–245 Madras Street |
| Town or city | Christchurch |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 43°31′58″S 172°38′33″E / 43.5328°S 172.6424°E |
| Completed | About 1986 |
| Destroyed | 22 February 2011 |
| Owner | Madras Equities |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | Seven |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Alun Wilke Associates Architects |
| Structural engineer | Alan Reay Consultants |
The CTV Building was an office building in Christchurch Central City, New Zealand. It was home to Canterbury Television (CTV) and other businesses. The building became a sad symbol of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. On 22 February 2011, it collapsed, killing 115 people. This was about 60% of all deaths in that earthquake.
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History of the CTV Building
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The CTV Building was designed and built around 1986. The Christchurch City Council approved its construction in September 1986. New Zealand often updated its building rules for earthquakes. These rules changed many times after the big 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake.
A major change in building design happened in 1982. This new rule focused on making buildings more ductile. This means parts of the building can bend or stretch during an earthquake. This helps prevent the building from collapsing, even if it gets damaged. The CTV Building was designed before these new rules were fully understood.
Who Designed the Building?
The company that designed the building's structure was Alan Reay Consultants. The architect was Alun Wilke Associates Architects. Both companies were based in Christchurch.
In 2012, it was found that the person who oversaw the building's construction had used a fake engineering degree. This person, Gerald Shirtcliff, had pretended to be a retired engineer from the UK.
Earthquake Inspections
Engineers checked the CTV Building after two earlier earthquakes. One was in September 2010, and another was a smaller shake in December 2010. After both checks, the building was said to be safe. It only had small surface damage.
However, the building collapsed in the big earthquake on 22 February 2011. Because so many people died, it became a key symbol of the disaster. Since 1991, the building was owned by Madras Equities.
Who Used the Building?
The main tenant was Canterbury Television (CTV). They used the ground floor and the first floor. The second floor was empty during the earthquake.
- King's Education: This was a school for learning English. It was on the third floor.
- The Clinic: A medical clinic was on the fourth floor.
- Relationship Services: This group offered counselling and was on the fifth floor.
- A nursing school also had space in the building.
The 2011 Christchurch Earthquake Impact
When the earthquake hit, the CTV Building fell down very quickly. Only the north wall, which held the lift shaft, remained standing. One person who escaped said they ran out of the ground floor. By the time they crossed the street, the building was already gone.
Minutes later, a fire started in the rubble. Most people died from the collapse itself. However, some victims may have died from the fire.
King's Education Students
King's Education was on the third floor. About 87 regular students and 27 visiting students were in the building. There were also 17 staff members. Some people had left for lunch just before the earthquake.
Many of the victims were Japanese students. This meant the disaster got a lot of attention in Japan. The school had trouble contacting families because their records were destroyed. They even posted updates online to help friends and relatives find out what happened to students.
Lives Lost
The collapse killed 115 people.
- 16 employees from Canterbury Television.
- 79 people from King's Education (4 staff, 5 teachers, 70 foreign students).
- 19 people from The Clinic (13 staff, 5 patients, 1 patient's friend).
- 1 administrator from Relationship Services.
What Happened to the Site?
In May 2011, the last part of the building, the lift shaft, was taken down. In 2013, the government bought the land. The site was then turned into a special garden to remember those who died. You can still see some parts of the original building's foundations there.
Royal Commission of Inquiry
A special investigation, called a Royal Commission, looked into why the CTV Building collapsed. This inquiry started in June 2012.
The investigation looked at whether the building met safety rules when it was built. It also looked at whether the engineers who designed and approved it had enough experience. The head of the design company, Alan Reay, said the building did not meet his own standards. He thought the engineer he hired for the design, David Harding, was experienced enough.
However, David Harding had not designed buildings taller than two floors before. He said he relied on Alan Reay for guidance. He also said the builders wanted the cheapest design possible. This meant no extra strengthening was added.
The commission's findings were released in December 2012. The report stated that the building's design was faulty and should not have been approved. It found that David Harding was working on a project that was too complex for his experience. His supervisor, Alan Reay, did not supervise him properly. Reay also pushed city officials to approve the design, even though some had concerns.
