02 · GALLERY
Five frames.
Christchurch Town Hall is the most-influential post-war concert hall acoustic in the world that you have probably never been inside. Warren & Mahoney's 1972 modernist building was devastated by the 2011 earthquake. NZ$167m of restoration later, the building reopened in 2019 with a Heritage New Zealand Category I listing. The 2,494-seat auditorium is an in-the-round oval with twisting timber balconies, the Harold Marshall ambiophonic acoustic design that has been adopted at Tokyo Symphony Hall, Sapporo Kitara, and Adelaide. The lower foyer's restored concrete coffer ceiling is best on a sunny afternoon. A restoration story that means something.
The lower foyer's restored concrete coffer ceiling is best on a sunny afternoon. Go early.
One of the most influential post-war concert-hall acoustics in the world, restored at scale.
Christchurch Symphony Orchestra Saturday subscription concerts. The Christchurch International Music Festival in February features chamber and contemporary programming. The post-restoration building is best photographed in autumn light (March-May).
Box office Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 17:00. Performances during the main season. Tours of the building on Wednesday afternoons.
Walk from central Christchurch Cathedral Square, ten minutes east. From Christchurch Airport, 25 minutes by Bus Route 29. The Town Hall faces Victoria Square.