CTV Building

The CTV Building was a six-story office complex at the corner of Cashel Street and Madras Street. Ground-level parking supported the floors above, which housed a television broadcaster and a language school.

Construction took place during the 1980s following a design later found to be flawed. On February 22, 2011, an earthquake measuring 6.3 brought down the structure, claiming 115 lives and accounting for over half of all earthquake deaths that day.

Canterbury Television produced more than twenty hours of regional programming weekly, including broadcasts from Deutsche Welle and Al Jazeera international networks.

The site now serves as a memorial in central Christchurch and lies within walking distance of Victoria Square and Cashel Street Mall. Visitors can approach the former location to pay respects and reflect on the events of 2011.

A royal commission found that the construction supervisor Gerald Shirtcliff had stolen the identity of a retired engineer from the United Kingdom. This discovery led to sweeping reforms in New Zealand's building regulation system.

Location: Canterbury Region

Inception: 1986

GPS coordinates: -43.53269,172.64239

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:25