Edmonds Band Rotunda

The Edmonds Band Rotunda is a rotunda in Christchurch, New Zealand. Created by baking powder manufacturer Thomas Edmonds in 1929 to celebrate his 50th year of living in the city, it was used initially as a place for brass bands to play music. It was converted to a restaurant in the 1980s. The 2010 and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes caused significant damage to the rotunda, and it had to be deconstructed. After being rebuilt, the rotunda re-opened in 2021 and is now used for performances.

Edmonds Band Rotunda
Edmonds Band Rotunda in 2024
General information
Architectural style	High Renaissance
Location	Christchurch, New Zealand
Coordinates	43°31′40″S 172°38′20″E / 43.527815°S 172.638994°E / -43.527815; 172.638994
Opened	11 November 1929
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Victor Hean
Heritage New Zealand – Category 2
Designated	11 November 1981
Reference no.	1865

The rotunda has been listed with Heritage New Zealand as a Category 2 historic place since 1981.

History

The Edmonds Band Rotunda was created by Thomas Edmonds, creator of the Edmonds baking powder, to celebrate his 50th year of living in Christchurch, as part of his River Bank Improvement Scheme. Listening to brass bands, which were subsidised by the city council, was a common form of entertainment at the time. After Edmonds made the offer to build the rotunda, the council accepted in April 1929. By May, the contract to build it had been given to builder Neil McGillivray.

The foundation stone being unveiled in 1929

After construction of the rotunda had already started, Edmonds unveiled the foundation stone on 26 September 1929, after he had unveiled the foundation stones of two of his other buildings on the same day. The rotunda was formally opened on 11 November 1929, when Edmonds's wife cut the ribbon, and nine bands played.

Due to a decline in the public interest of listening to band concerts, the rotunda gradually became unused. So in 1985 or 1986 (sources vary) it was changed to a restaurant, with the name of the Thomas Edmonds Restaurant, and later the Retour Restaurant. The rotunda's character remained the same, with windows being added between the pillars as well as striped awnings. The basement was converted into a kitchen and had bathrooms added. It opened on 1 March 1987, with two of Edmonds's daughters attending.

Earthquakes

The dome on the ground, in a cover

The rotunda being restored

After its supporting structures were damaged in the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, the rotunda was added to the city's demolition list in March 2012 because it was considered dangerous. Deconstruction was finished by September, with the dome and other parts being saved on the ground nearby. The dome sat there for several years; thieves gradually picked off its copper roofing.

The city council approved the rebuild of the rotunda in September 2016, and the project was allocated $1.5 million. A start date of early 2017 was chosen, but when that time arrived, the rebuild was delayed to 2018. Again, restoration shifted from February 2019 to September 2019. The city council cited "budgetary reasons" for these delays. In July 2019, the city council allocated $1.6 million for the rebuild. In February 2021, the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust donated $1 million of the $1.5 million needed.

The rebuild started in March 2020. The dome was placed onto the rotunda in November 2020; its weight required a crane to be transported from the North Island. Restoration of the rotunda itself was finished in July 2021, and landscaping was done in August. The restoration saw the addition of roll-up panel screens to protect the interior from the weather. Re-opening occurred in October 2021.

The council did not want the rebuilt rotunda to retain the basement which was used for the restaurant, and Gerald Edmonds, the great-great-grandson of Thomas Edmonds, suggested that Thomas Edmonds would not have wanted the rotunda to be used as a restaurant, as it was made for music. The rotunda is not used as a restaurant anymore; instead, it is a public space that is used as a performance venue.

Description

Poplar Crescent, the building to the east of the rotunda

The rotunda is located in Cambridge Terrace and overlooks the (Avon River / Ōtākaro), near the . It was designed by , in a High Renaissance style, and has been listed with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as a Category 2 historic place since 1981.

The rotunda has an octagonal shape, with a height of 12 metres (39 ft) and a diameter of 10.2 metres (33 ft). Each corner of the octagon has a 4.8-metre-tall (16 ft) pillar, which all work together to hold up the dome. The dome is made of timber, is sheathed in copper, and weighs over 80 tonnes. There is a semi-circular seat to the east of the rotunda, and the west is a shelter made of reinforced concrete, used initially to hold band equipment.

References

1. "Edmonds Band Rotunda". Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
2. "Thomas Edmonds' band rotunda". Canterbury Stories. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
3. Hurrell, Mei (1993). The legacy of Thomas Edmonds (PDF). Christchurch. Environmental Policy & Planning Unit. Christchurch, N.Z.: Christchurch City Council, Environmental Policy & Planning Unit. pp. 15–18. ISBN 0-9597973-1-9. OCLC 39746008.
4. "Search". Canterbury Stories. Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
5. "Christchurch's $1.5 million heritage Edmonds Band Rotunda rebuild delayed until 2018". The Press. 3 May 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
6. "Edmonds band rotunda is finally open following an 'incredible' rebuild". The Press. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
7. "Band rotunda joins demolition list". The Press. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
8. "Dome saved from destruction". The Press. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
9. "Quake-stricken Band Rotunda target of thieves". The Press. 10 January 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
10. "$1.3m Edmonds band rotunda rebuild to go ahead". The Press. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
11. "Stage set for return of Christchurch's Thomas Edmonds Band Rotunda". Christchurch City Council. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
12. "Historic Edmonds Band Rotunda's $1.5 million rebuild confirmed". The Press. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
13. "Restoration of quake-damaged band rotunda nearly complete". Otago Daily Times. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
14. "$1.5m restoration of quake-damaged historic building starts". Otago Daily Times. 11 March 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
15. "Thomas Edmonds Band Rotunda dome put back in its place". The New Zealand Herald. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
16. "Thomas Edmonds Band Rotunda: Restoration of historic riverside landmark finished". Otago Daily Times. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
17. "Music to ring out from Christchurch's band rotunda once again". The Press. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
18. "Edmonds Band Rotunda". Christchurch City Council. Retrieved 10 October 2024.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Edmonds Band Rotunda.

• Image of repair work in 1979