Cardboard Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cardboard Cathedral |
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| Transitional Cathedral | |
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The Cardboard Cathedral in 2016
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| 43°31′56.1″S 172°38′34.3″E / 43.532250°S 172.642861°E | |
| Location | Christchurch Central City |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Dedicated | August 2013 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Shigeru Ban |
| Construction cost | NZ$5m |
| Specifications | |
| Number of floors | one |
| Materials | cardboard tubes, timber, steel |
The Cardboard Cathedral, also known as the Transitional Cathedral, is a special church in Christchurch, New Zealand. It's the temporary main church for the Anglican faith in Christchurch. This unique building was created after the big 2011 Christchurch earthquake badly damaged the original ChristChurch Cathedral.
The Cardboard Cathedral was designed by a famous Japanese architect named Shigeru Ban. It opened in August 2013. You can find it in Latimer Square, on the corner of Hereford and Madras Streets. This spot used to be home to the St John the Baptist Church.
Contents
Why a Cardboard Cathedral?
After the devastating 2011 earthquake, Christchurch needed a new place for its main church services. The original ChristChurch Cathedral was too damaged to use. That's where Shigeru Ban came in. He's known as a "disaster architect" because he often designs strong, temporary buildings for places hit by natural disasters.
Ban offered to design the new cathedral for free. He worked with a local architecture firm called Warren and Mahoney. They wanted to create a building that was quick to build, strong, and also special.
How It Was Built
Construction of the Cardboard Cathedral began in July 2012. It was a big project that cost about NZ$5 million. The community worked together to raise the money needed for this unique church.
The building is shaped like an A-frame and stands 24 meters (about 79 feet) tall. It uses 86 large cardboard tubes, each weighing 500 kilograms (about 1,100 pounds). These tubes sit on top of 6-meter (about 20-foot) long shipping containers.
Even though it's called the "Cardboard Cathedral," it was built to be a permanent structure. It opened to the public on August 6, 2013. It was one of the first important buildings to open as part of Christchurch's rebuild.
Unique Design and Materials
The Cardboard Cathedral is 21 meters (about 69 feet) high above the altar. It uses a mix of materials. The main parts are 60-centimeter (about 2-foot) wide cardboard tubes. These tubes are reinforced with special laminated wood beams. They are also coated to be waterproof and fire-resistant.
The roof is made of polycarbon, which lets light in. Eight shipping containers form the walls, making the building very strong. The base is a solid concrete slab.
One cool feature is how light enters the church. There are small gaps between the cardboard tubes, allowing sunlight to filter through. Instead of a traditional round stained-glass window, this cathedral has triangular pieces of colorful stained glass.
The building can seat around 700 people. It's not just used for church services; it also hosts concerts and other community events.
Leaders of the Cathedral
The person in charge of the cathedral is called the Dean. Here are the Deans who have led the Cardboard Cathedral:
| Period | Dean | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2013–2014 | Lynda Patterson | |
| 2015–2023 | Lawrence Kimberley | |
| 2023–present | Ben Truman |
Images for kids
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The interior of the Cardboard Cathedral
