NZ Herald: No more high rises for rebuilt quake city

Simon Collins writes in the New Zealand Herald that architects expect no more highrise buildings will be built in Christchurch, following last week’s earthquake.

They also expect tougher national standards for strengthening/retrofitting buildings built before the 70s.

An excerpt: (read in full here)

“He said most modern buildings performed well in an earthquake that was twice as strong as they were designed for, but architects had to accept that people simply would not want to work in high-rise towers any more.

“”I think in Christchurch in our lifetime there will not be any multi-storey buildings built.”

“He said the council would also have to take the hard decision not to allow rebuilding in areas with the worst liquefaction.”