IMGP6520

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:23:38 +1300

Shipping containers are a very common sight around our city now. Mostly they have been stacked in front of unstable rock faces to protect people and roads from falling rocks. They've also been stacked in front of historic building facades in an attempt to preserve them so they can be reused when rebuilding.

Pictured here is Cashel Street Mall, formerly an outdoor shopping area filled with lovely old historic buildings. These all suffered serious structural damage so were demolished. In an effort to get people back into the city centre, and as a bit of a feel-good project to give us something to look forward to, the authorities chose to create a shopping centre out of shipping containers, to be ready by Show Weekend in November. It's proved to be quite popular. The lack of surrounding buildings makes the space feel very open.