A temporary cathedral made out of cardboard opened in New Zealand last year in the heart of Latimer Square to replace a neo-Gothic structure that was destroyed in the massive Christchurch earthquake in 2011. The cardboard structure was designed by Japanese architect, Shigeru Ban, and is built from cardboard tubes measuring 600 mm in diameter coated with water-resistant polyurethane and flame retardants. The innovative cardboard cathedral has a simple A-frame structure that rises 78 ft (24 m) and can accommodate 700 people. Despite being made from cardboard, the cathedral can last up to 50 years. The Anglican Church in New Zealand plans to use the cardboard structure for at least 10 years while building a more permanent replacement for the original cathedral. The cardboard church has a concrete base with tubes holding up the two sides of the A-frame structure. Containers were also placed to secure the walls of the cathedral. On one end of the cathedral, a polycarbonate roof and stained glass protect the structure from the elements.
Image caption – The opening and dedication of New Zealand’s cardboard cathedral was a major milestone in the ongoing recovery of Christchurch, which was hit by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake that leveled much of the downtown area in 2011.
