CIVIC CENTRE SITE

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25737, 24 February 1949, Page 6

CIVIC CENTRE SITE

'‘Never More Than Second-Rate CRITICISM BY ARCHITECT

“The site suggested by the Christchurch City Council for a town hall and civic centre can never be more than second-rate.” said Mr R. S. D. Hannan, a Christchurch architect, yesterday. ‘‘A building placed on it would not be a focal point in any street. It would not be seen clearly, at a distance of two blocks, from any street. It could be seen or photographed properly only from the east side of Latimer square. It could easily be outshone in style and size by Government buildings, which may be erected on the block adjoining immediately to the south.

”A town-.hall in that area would not dominate Latimer square. It should represent the heart of the city and, as the centre of city government, it should be to Latimer square what the Cathedral is to Cathedral square. It is as if the City Council in Cathedral square were offering the Tivoli theatre site with a promise to link up with buildings in Chancery lane and Gloucester street.

“To make a civic centre of Latimer square it would be necessary to acquire more than one-sixth of its perimeter, leaving the growth of the rest to the tender mercies of loose zoning regulation,” continued Mr Harman. “To make such a civic centre the council should have control of the land on all sides of the square, with the possible exception of the south. “In the somewhat premature suggestion for the allocation of money to be raised, no mention is made of Victoria street tone of our Cinderellas). the main traffic artery to the north, a main route to the west, and the main thoroughfare to the city airport, which we hope will soon be given international status.

Question of Town Planning “The council has recently appointed a town-planning officer and it is amazing to me that a scheme of this magnitude should be rushed through without obtaining the opinion of one fully qualified to express an opinion on town planning,” said Mr Harman. “If one aims only at the second rate, one cannot expect to get something that is really in the first rank. I am all in favour of starting a fund to form a civic centre; but many preliminary steps have yet to be taken before presenting it to the public as a w’ell-bal-anced and carefully-thought-out scheme.

“I am glad to see the City Council moving to acquire a block of property which will always be useful and that they are considering the erection of a town hall,” Mr Harman said. “I am glad. too. to see the City Treasurer’s estimate that the city can afford a hall. The amount proposed is one-tenth of that which Auckland proposes to set aside for the harbour bridge and our effort might, therefore, be extended without criticism of recklessness. “I do not. however, agree that the City Council should go into details about the placing of a town hall or the allocation of money at this stage. To ask the City Engineer’s department if it is feasible to build on the site suggested and then infer that agreement means recommendation, is misusing that department. “There has been no attempt to consult those interested and competent to give an opinion on a comprehensive scheme for the heart of the city.” Mr Harman said. “The local branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, for instance, could be consulted and would give its' views gratis. This is an age of civic development and illustrations of what is being done overseas are in book after book housed in the City Council chambers. Apparently no lesson has been learned from them at all.”