In this issue we travel to Christchurch, where Ian Athfield chronicles the challenging journey taken since being appointed to the role of Architectural Ambassador for post-earthquake Christchurch. Architectural graduate Joseph Hampton from Warren and Mahoney talks about the 48 Hour Design Challenge, a 48-hour opportunity for the design and architecture industry to inspire Christchurch Council during the process of drafting the Central City Plan.

Our much loved writers review a number of buildings in Auckland: Bill MacKay tours the new commercial and retail building, Britomart Eastern Precinct, by Peddle Thorp and JPW; and Tony van Raat renews his admiration for historic aircraft design at the MOTAT Aviation Display Hall, designed by Studio Pacific and beautifully photographed by Patrick Reynolds. Meanwhile Linda Tyler skates her way around Archoffice’s new technicoloured activity centre and ‘skater pit stop’ in Flat Bush, and Architecture NZ’s new editor follows the undulating form of The Cloud at Queen’s Wharf, by Jasmax and Fabric Structure Systems.

In Across the Board news, we review Shigeru Ban’s and Kevin McCloud’s recent lectures, delve into the history behind the saga of the sea containers, and announce the latest architectural awards. We conclude with cartoonist Malcolm Walker’s hilarious take on ‘what architects want for Xmas’.