REBUILD CHRISTCHURCH - BUT WITH CARE.

Christchurch must be rebuilt - that's a 'no-brainer'.  The effeciency of the first response', the management of the recovery, the stoicism of the people, and the natiowide response are justifiably acclaimed world wide (although the TV1 news presenter dressed as an undertaker was a bit naff!).
Cities have been described as "our species greatest invention" - which is why they keep rebuilding on the same sites.  And it is only natural that we should want the rebuild to address what we saw as the failings of the former city.
New Zealand has the architects and urban designers to produce an outstanding response - and Christchurch has more than its fair share of them.  And regardless of some comments, the NZ Earthquake Regulations I believe are generally good - which is why so many buildings are still OK (compare this with the Kobe, Japan earthquake). 
I am sure we can be confident of the architecural quality of the new buildings - and we know they can be reconfigured to respond to changing needs. It's the urban design we must be careful of!  Peter Ackroyd's "Biogaraphy of London" describes how, as the city rebuilt over the centuries,  the urban functions like health, justice, commerce etc keep reappearing in the same locations!  So, despite the great innovative designs of people like Wren, Hawkesmoore - and more recently the South Bank, - the shape of the city by and large remains.  You could call it "ORGANIC HISTORICSM'. 
The challenge to the decision makers in Christchurch is to get the best from the skills and talent available, but temper it with a respect for history.  You can be sure they will conflict at times!
That we have the skills is without doubt - but they are still (like most in the world), heavily influenced by fashions.  These are widely published and self-promoted by professional bodies.  But they are not the ultimate - rather, good examples of curent thinking, which must be tempered with history.
This is a time we need informed leadership, capable of making decisions in a wider context than current media provides.