Neil Dawson's stainless steel sculpture stands at the centre of Cathedral Square and has been there since 2001, when it was installed as part of the millennium celebrations. It is a six-metre-high funnel form — technically a chalice shape, though it reads more like a stylised leaf or flame from different angles — made from triangular steel panels that catch and scatter light. The surface is cut with native plant forms: kotukutuku (tree fuchsia), koru, and other references to the New Zealand landscape.
The Chalice survived the earthquake without damage, which gave it an unplanned symbolic weight — the sleek modern thing standing firm while the Victorian cathedral behind it lost its spire. It has become a meeting point and a landmark in its own right. Dawson is one of New Zealand's most accomplished public sculptors, and this is among his best works. Take a moment to walk around it; the play of light on the panels changes completely depending on the sun angle.