Carlton Corner

For over 100 years the heritage-listed Carlton Hotel sat on the corner of Bealey Avenue and Papanui Road in Christchurch City. Unfortunately, as a consequence of the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, the much-loved Carlton Corner had to be demolished. Cook Brothers Construction built a new and modern building on its ruins to carry on the legacy of the famous Cantabrian watering hole.

The new complex now houses the Carlton Hotel over two levels, a Burger King Restaurant, and an International Property Firm in the spacious office overlooking the gateway to Christchurch City. The new architecturally designed complex, with extensive steel structure and concrete foundations, is characterised by a diverse use of raw materials. A mix of European Parklex cladding, Black VM Zinc Trays, Modulit Polycarbonate Panels, Glazed Black Brickwork and portions of the exposed concrete structure, give the building an imposing and dynamic look. 

We wanted to deliver this project with great flare, given the significance of this iconic building.
David Marsh, Executive Director Oakwood Properties

The Carlton Corner Development was one of the first large-scale redevelopment projects undertaken after the earthquakes. Due to the high demand for commercial space at the time, and the commercial implications associated with it, the timeframe for The Carlton Corner Development was extremely tight. 

The project was marked by a large number of geotechnical issues, not only due to the earthquakes but also it’s proximity to the Avon River. Some of these issues were not addressed in the early stages of the design, therefore a last minute change to the design was needed. A large piling system was introduced with no allowance for an extension to the programme. With some innovative solutions, extensive planning, and very good use of our Last Planner System, Cook Brothers Construction successfully delivered the project on time and exceeded the client’s expectations.

The Carlton Corner Development was a large project on a very tight site on one of Christchurch’s busiest intersections. Clever planning, late-night deliveries of materials, great logistics and outstanding project management were paramount to the success of this project and its successful completion in the tight timeframe given. The modern and multi-functional building, with extensive steel structure and concrete foundations, is built to 130% of new seismic building standards. 

The success of the project wasn’t only an important step towards solving the tenancy issues, it also had a great psychological impact on the city, a city that desperately needed some positive change and a reassurance that things were moving forward and a brighter future was approaching.