Heritage Buildings and Earthquakes: Christchurch and Elsewhere Christchurch heritage suffered a devastating loss in its earthquakes. The Council there (like others) had been remiss in not requiring earthquake strengthening of masonry buildings on a more rapid timetable, but even if it had the result may have still not been happy. The size of the earthquake was such that even when a strengthened building may have stood and saved lives, it was still likely to suffer irreparable damage. What can be done with damaged buildings? Simply it is not sensible to repair or rebuild them as masonry buildings. That is recreating the danger. One Listener columnist seemed to think this was what heritage advocates wanted and dismissed us all as mad. In some cases if the facades are reasonably intact it is possible to build a modern frame building behind and then attach the facade to it. Where this is not possible then a replica is the only option – using some of the original fabric where this is