A series of earthquakes has forced Christchurch to re-plan and rebuild. Discussions about rebuilding
strategies have emphasized the intention of making it a city for the future, sustainable and vibrant.
This paper discusses the relationship between microclimate and urban culture in Christchurch based
upon the concept of urban comfort. It explores the relationships between environment, people and
culture to help understand the local requirements for urban landscape design. In this paper we claim
that cultural requirements also should be taken into account when looking for sustainable strategies.
A distinctive feature of this research is its focus on the way people are adapting to both surviving prequake
and new post‐quake environments.
Preliminary findings from the first year of field work using participant observation and 61 in‐depth
interviews with Christchurch residents are presented. The interviews were carried out in a variety of
urban settings including: established sites (places sustaining relatively little damage) and emerging
sites (those requiring rebuilding) during 2011‐2012. Evidence from the interviews highlight future
challenges regarding sustainability and urban comfort issues.
Post‐quake Christchurch presents a remarkable opportunity to design an urban landscape which
provides environmental, economic, social and cultural sustainability. However, to achieve successful
outcomes it is fundamental to respond to the local culture. Field data suggest that the strong
connections between urban and rural settings present in local culture, lifestyle and landscape
generate a particular aesthetic and recreation preference for urban spaces, which should be
considered in the urban landscape design strategies.[Show full abstract]
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