An architectural aficionado

When it comes to architecture, author John Walsh knows his stuff.

For a decade John edited Architecture NZ, was a managing editor of a collection of design magazines, and wrote for numerous other publications. In recent years he has written architecture walking guides for Auckland, Wellington, and now for Christchurch.
With the Garden City continuing to evolve rapidly, it soon became clear that a new Christchurch walking guide edition was needed to capture all the exciting developments, explains John, who partnered with photographer Patrick Reynolds in the project. “Over the past few years, many significant buildings have been constructed and others have been restored.”

Post-earthquake designs such as Tūranga, the central city library, and Ravenscar House Museum, both of which showcase the city’s resilience and creativity, feature in Ōtautahi Christchurch Architecture a walking guide – the revised edition.

John says the chance to start fresh has given architects a blank space to create some awe-inspiring buildings.
“The gap-filling will take a long time, but there’s something optimistic about a city in the throes of becoming,” he says.
Christchurch gems include Christ’s College and the Arts Centre, which John says are two of the strongest architectural sites in
the country.

He adds there are also more than 20 heritage-listed Gothic Revival buildings at the Arts Centre, and nearly all have now been faithfully restored.