Nicola Abercrombie
It began as an old cabinet-making factory, but soon will become a state-of-the-art communications centre at New Zealand's AUT University. Te Waha Nui reporter Nicola Abercrombie discovers AUT’s latest building has come a long way in 116 years.
Other Te Waha Nui special video reports on the evolving new media centre include:
New precinct will be world class, says dean - by Sophie Lowery
Nice once it's finished - students react to WG precinct - by Victoria Young
The new face of AUT - four years in the making - by Calida Smylie
AUT front door development takes shape - by Nicole Pryor
One year to go - AUT media release on progress
WG precinct web page - virtual tour video
WG building updates
It's now just one year until the construction is complete on AUT’s new learning precinct.
The past 12 months
The multi-million dollar project has been progressing at a rapid rate over the past 12 months, from the demolition of two old study buildings in November 2010, to the laying of the new foundations, and the creation of a continuously escalating steel structure.
Going forward
By November 2012, Fletcher Construction workers will have completed the building of a precinct large enough to contain the population of both Warkworth and Lyttelton combined.
With a total of 12 floors, together with a glass atrium, plaza, and green quad, the new precinct will provide the university with an additional 20,000 sq m of social and academic space.
A precinct, not a building
Contributing to its visionary design, David Mahon, project senior architect at Jasmax, says this precinct will be on a scale that is going to surprise a lot of people.
“When it comes to designing a precinct like this, we can’t just think about how the space will be used right now,” says Mahon. “We have to think bigger than that; we have to consider for the next 10 years.
“What AUT and Jasmax have come up with is a precinct – not a building. We have worked very closely together to shape the relationship of this precinct to the rest of the city campus.”
The centre of campus
Mahon says the final design will transform the way the AUT city campus is used, enabling students to study in places they want to be in.
“It will be the centre of the campus; a vibrant hub where students and staff can be both social and studious.”
Construction continues
Construction of the precinct will continue over the 2011-2012 summer break. With many students absent from campus between mid November until the end of February, some noisy work is expected to take place during this period.
Opening date
The new precinct will officially open at the start of semester 1, 2013.
Source: AUT website 16 November 2011
Pacific Media Centre
