3 Mar 2014

Christchurch art gallery re-levelled

5:40 pm on 3 March 2014

A multi-million dollar repair job has begun to re-level the Christchurch Art Gallery.

Work begins on re-levelling the earthquake-damaged Christchurch art gallery.

Work begins on re-levelling the earthquake-damaged Christchurch art gallery. Photo: SUPPLIED

The building, which weighs 30,000 tonnes, had one side sink 15 centimetres as a result of the earthquakes.

Engineering consultants Aurecon are leading the job to level it. Technical director Steve Hogg said raising and levelling the building would be done by pumping quick-setting grout between the foundations and newly-built columns beneath the floor.

Mr Hogg said a job of this size had never been attempted in New Zealand, however they had successfully used the technique on a smaller building in Christchurch.

The gallery is set to re-open in late 2015. It was used as Civil Defence headquarters following the February 2011 earthquake.