Another Gap Filled

SHAC co-ordinator Tim Bishop on the site of an innovative new project

Gap filler, "a creative urban regeneration initiative" which was born in the wake of Christchurch's September 2010 earthquake and really took off after February's (2011), is building an office in Colombo Street Sydenham. The office will be relocatable, but initially on the site of the old Ascot TV shop, next to Coffee Zone.

Printing plates from The Press will clad some of the
walls of Gap Filler's new office

SHAC (Sustainable Habitat Challenge) is overseeing the project which will see a less than 10 sq.m space made almost entirely of recycled materials. SHAC co-ordinator Tim Bishop says its fun to work on an experimental project like this. The innovative building project brings together a team of volunteers, and the finished office will be up and running in a week (by the 28th).  The innovations are Mark Fielding developed pallet walls using recycled polystyrene for insulation. Recycled carpet lines the inner walls, and outside walls will be clad with recycled printing plates from The Press.

Volunteers working on the project

There are "mountains of discarded building materials" as the result of demolitions after Christchurch's earthquakes, Bishop says. Several salvage companies, including Southern Demolition and Christchurch Demolition and Salvage have provided materials.

Gap Filler is exactly that. A project designed to fill the numerous gaps in Christchurch's landscape left barren after the earthquakes. Their installations include a community chess board and a huge wall of art by Wayne Youle - both in Sydenham, painted pianos in New Brighton, Woolston, and Sydenham, and a fridge full of books on Barbadoes Street, and many others.

With gaps opening up all over Christchurch, what Gap Filler does next is anybody's question.

Wayne's Wall, shadowbox art in Sydenham