New Urban Village in Christchurch

Whakaaturanga Kāinga Nohoanga (The new urban village project) is an international competition to design and build a new place for living in Christchurch's Central City.

Work is underway to rebuild and breathe new life into the Central City, following the destruction caused by the earthquakes. Designers from throughout the world are invited to influence the way the new generation of Central City residents will live within their environment and what type of communities they will want to be part of.

The opportunity is to help shape the future of Central City living in Christchurch/Otautahi through Breathe, an international design and build competition to create a new urban village in the Central City.

A key goal in the city’s rebuild is to create a modern, vibrant urban community with unparalleled access to entertainment, retail, recreation and employment opportunities. Residents living in the new urban village will help to bring life back to Christchurch’s Central City and lend a new vibrancy to support the city’s regeneration.

The challenge is to design, build and sell a medium-density, urban residential complex that shows how communities can be created for the next generation; a new urban village that provides a variety of housing options and lifestyle choices based on the key principles of sustainability, aff ordability, innovation and a strong sense of community.

Competition entrants have three months to form a multi-disciplinary team and create a design using the latest thinking in urban design, living and development that meets Christchurch’s commitment to having 24,000 people living in the Central City by 2041.
Innovation in design will be critical, as well as understanding the New Zealand lifestyle to develop a new sense of place – this truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape the way a city will evolve; how its residents will live and how the second largest city in New Zealand will prosper after the earthquakes.
Three teams will have their concept design chosen from the fi rst stage of the competition and will be given NZ$ 20,000 to complete developed designs. The winner of the second stage will be expected to develop the design on the designated site. 

Christchurch/Otautahi is New Zealand/Aotearoa’s second largest city, with a population of 367,000. The city off ers an exceptional quality of life for its residents and a unique investment opportunity. The warm, dry summers and crisp, clear winters make Christchurch/Otautahi the ideal recreational playground. On the city’s doorstep are the Pacific Ocean, Banks Peninsula, the Canterbury Plains and the Southern Alps. Within the city there are more than 740 parks and gardens, making Christchurch/Otautahi a popular place for walkers, cyclists and those who enjoy snow sports.

Many commercial hubs of Christchurch's suburban centres were damaged by the earthquakes. The Council has initiated a suburban regeneration project to support the rebuild and recovery of these areas as focal points for the local community. This work involves the development of Master Plans where the damage is significant and case management to assist with site-specific planning. 

Sydenham reopened its doors for business quickly following the earthquakes and now has a long-term vision to guide the rebuild and recovery of the area. The community wants to retain and strengthen its unique identity as a place of industry, action and innovation, living up to the old Sydenham Borough motto of: Deeds not Words. The suburb will continue to be a thriving centre for niche and start-up businesses, serving and supporting the local industrial and residential area. Sydenham will be redeveloped as an easily accessible centre offering attractive places for businesses, retailers, residents and visitors that seek a different experience to the Central City and other suburban areas.

Life is being brought back to the Central City with a number of anchor projects that draw on the rich natural and cultural heritage of the city and provides Christchurch with world-class facilities. The Council is also testing new ideas and exploring concepts with a range of low-cost projects which will bring people, business and investment back to the area by improving the environment, pedestrian safety and creating interest.