Inthepastfewyears,Box 112 has
redevelopeda seriesofheritagespaces
aroundChristchurchintovibrant,city-
makingspacescombiningoffices,retail
andhospitality.Collectively,they’rea
charmingbunch– warm,tactilespaces
makinguseofbuildingsthatwerelargely
overlookedbeforetheearthquakesof
2010 and2011.
Theirlatesteffortis TheYard,ina
1950sformerprintinghallpositionedon
theedgeof‘SouthFrame’,a new$28m
government-led‘greenwalkway’precinct.
Thispedestrian-friendlyareaonthecity
fringecombinesfourgatheringspaces,
witha pedestrianandcyclingcorridor
throughitsheart.“It’sanemergingand
growingarea,”saysBox112’sJames
Stringer,“andwelovethatthere’sa wide
rangeofindustriesandbusinesseshere.”
TheYardhaslightandvolumewith
largewindowsandloftyceilings,and
a mixtureofwhatStringerdescribesas
“authentic,naturalmaterials”including
brick,exposedtimbertrusses,concrete
andsteel.Upstairs,thereareopen-plan
officesanda sharedspace.Downstairs,
there’sa collectionofsevenhole-in-the-
walleateries,includingOtto,a sandwich
shopthatalsodoesYottamOttolenghi-
stylesalads,andCeylonKitchen,oneof
thecity’sfew Sri Lankan eateries.
TheYard
173 StAsaphSt
ChristchurchCentral
theyardchch.nz
Ya r d wo rk s
Acleverredevelopment
revivesa formerprinting
hall in Christchurch.
Opposite—Ottois one
ofsevenpetiteeateries
atTheYard.
Left—A grunty
mixofmaterialswork
togetherintheformer
printinghall.
Below—Loftyand
light-filled,a fancyfood
hallfillsthedownstairs
area,whileoffices
includeanarchitect
studioanda shared
space upstairs.Below—TheYard
signageagainst
a brick wall.D:02 URBANISMPhotographyKate ClaridgeHOME NEW ZEALAND 25