National architecture awards have been handed to projects including an Onehunga helicopter base, a group of Waiheke houses, and a Queenstown bus shelter and toilet.

City officials say they are confident the Christchurch Town Hall can be saved.

The residential rebuild in Christchurch could require up to 12,500 full time workers and reveal a number of skills shortages in occupations such as concreting and carpentry, Prime Minister John Key says.

Construction continues on the Auckland Art Gallery extension and renovation project in the Central City.

Last month 973 consents were issued for new dwelling units, down 29 per cent from February 2010.

A massive recovery operation in Christchurch is aimed at making it the most "earthquake safe" city in the world, its Mayor Bob Parker says.

The Government wants public-private partnerships to fund thousands of new state and community houses.

Japan's magnitude-9 quake and tsunami damaged about 1500 roads, 48 bridges and 15 railways.