Will the rush to rebuild Christchurch result in ugly buildings?

This is a question architects are asking following the government's announcement that it is going to fast-track consent procedures.

While many of the buildings put up during the "demolish and rebuild frenzy" in Wellington in the 1980s were no worse aesthetically than the ones they replaced, there were quite a few that did nothing to improve the look of the city. When asked to define architecture in as few words as possible, former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating said "high art." Yet there are many modern buildings that show little evidence of it.

The destruction of Napier in 1931 resulted in a brand new city that is now known as one of the great Art Deco capitals of the world (it has a lot of Spanish Mission style buildings too). Of course, the devastation there was a lot more complete than with Christchurch, yet there are opportunities for urban renewal in the city's less attractive areas. Hopefully, some top minds will be employed to produce a pleasing new cityscape.