Regent Theatre Building - Christchurch Historic Art Print by Hamish Thompson

"This architecture series is kind of biographical. I grew up in Christchurch, and shared a flat in the central city when I was a student at art school. When the earthquakes struck I was sad to see so many buildings pulled down and so quickly. I really would have liked to see greater commitment from the authorities to save and protect more historic buildings. These types of buildings can never be replaced – that kind of craftsmanship will never be seen again. On my visits to Christchurch, I haven’t seen much new architecture to rival the wonderful buildings we lost – apart from the Cardboard Cathedral. Mostly I’ve seen a lot of tilt-slab concrete structures. Fingers crossed there’s some great architecture on drawing boards right now that will get backed and built. In the meantime, I’m determined to hold on to memories and images, and help keep the design spirit alive during a challenging period." - Hamish Thompson