Earthquakes

Ian’s MA thesis topic was “Conservation in Seismic Zones” and in 1990 he spent a number of months assessing and advising on heritage buildings damaged after the Newcastle earthquake.

Ian advised Jukken Nissho Ltd on the damage and reconstruction of Acton after the Gisborne earthquake and is currently advising Heritage New Zealand on the conservation of the Lyttelton Timeball and Coton’s Cottage in Hororata after the September, 2010, Boxing Day and February 22, 2011, earthquakes.

He has recently written guidelines for the Heritage New Zealand on emergency recovery of heritage fabric following earthquake damage. He co-authored the guideline on conservation in seismic zones for  Heritage New Zealand with Lou Robinson and has written articles in the New Zealand National Society of Earthquake Engineering Journal as well as the Heritage New Zealand magazine and the Dominion Post newspaper on the issues of earthquake strengthening and built heritage.

He has advised on the conservation of many earthquake strengthening projects including:

• Auckland Town Hall
• Wellington Town Hall
• St James Theatre, Wellington
• Shed 22, Wellington
• Shed 13, Wellington
• Railway Social Hall, Wellington
• Maritime Museum, Wellington
• former National Museum and Art Gallery, Wellington
• Embassy Theatre, Wellington
• Government House, Wellington
• Dunedin Lawcourts