Overseeing multiple multi million dollar projects with several prime contractors and a thousand contractors on site in the middle of a post earthquake rebuild, on a campus with 14,000 students was going to be a challenge. Adding all the IT infrastructure and service delivery for a research intensive University along with sustaining access to millions of journals and books made a recovery programme few people could have managed.
Alex delivered. Building confidence, negotiating for solutions, managing expectations, fair and firm in managing strong personalities. Outcomes focused. Pragmatic and realistic.
~ Dr Rod Carr, Vice Chancellor, University of Canterbury
Ernest Rutherford
Housing multiple Schools of the College of Science, the Ernest Rutherford building is a five storey complex of specialist research and teaching laboratories. Science activities are proudly on display throughout the building, a hive of human centered community activity. The building also contains a number of back-of-house secure zones that were designed to safely transport hazardous chemicals and their waste products throughout the building.
Developed to support the University of Canterbury's vision of providing a friendly and memorable campus experience for its students and to enable innovative teaching and ground-breaking research, the master plan was the framework vision for the post-earthquake recovery of the Christchurch campus. Initial stages facilitated the return of specialist research and teaching facilities to support the growth of student enrolments.
The earthquake damaged Commerce building was stripped back to its structural frame and seismically strengthened, refurbished and re-clad to create the Rehua building. It features a multi level atrium which serves as a central social space to the two wings and eight floors of light filled teaching and community spaces, academic offices, project rooms, maker spaces and clinics. The Te Moana nui a Kiwa Centre is UC’s first custom-built cultural function space.
A four storey braced timber framed building used Laminated Veneer Lumber timber frames that were themselves designed by University of Canterbury Engineering Professors. The building accommodates the College office, academic office spaces, learning and teaching spaces and a teaching laboratory. At the time of construction it was the first multi-storey timber frame commercial building in New Zealand.
Canterbury Engineering the Future
Six buildings were seismic strengthening with extensive refurbishment plus the addition of two new buildings in this programme which was designed to create a precinct of bespoke facilities to support the growth of student enrolments. The new Core building created a central social hub for students which includes meeting rooms, lecture theatres, cafe lounges and informal study lounges and nooks.
Recovery of the University provided the opportunity to engage with and learn from mana whenua about the stories of the place of the Institution. The Cultural Narrative of the University is a taonga that informed the design of multiple buildings and spaces. Engaging with the cultural narrative ensured that the values and aspirations of Ngai Tuahuriri are able to be seen throughout the campus.
The University of Canterbury was the first NZ University to achieve independent Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme certification for its carbon reduction programme. The University reduced its carbon emissions through the earth-quake recovery by 34%. It was recognised as the fourth largest carbon reducer in New Zealand with a Toitu Envirocare Award in 2018.
This development is the new home of the University of Canterbury Student Association (UCSA). It is a purpose built multi-use facility that encompasses two bars, conference and office spaces, club rooms, three separate lounge / study spaces and a fleible performing space. The building takes advantage of several indoor/outdoor space configurations to facilitate Student Orientation events.
This laboratory is less a building and more a piece of specialist research equipment. After the earthquakes the Professors saw that to improve engineering safety in NZ, research needed a larger facility to simulate full scale structural engineering research. The strong wall and floor contain 400 tonnes of steel reinforcing and 440 cubic metres of concrete that took 147 trucks twelve hours to pour.
Overseeing multiple multi million dollar projects with several prime contractors and a thousand contractors on site in the middle of a post earthquake rebuild, on a campus with 14,000 students was going to be a challenge.
Alex delivered. Building confidence, negotiating for solutions, managing expectations, fair and firm in managing strong personalities. Outcomes focused. Pragmatic and realistic.
~ Dr Rod Carr, Vice Chancellor, University of Canterbury
TROY BRODY
About Me
Alex brings over twenty years of experience in property and construction, as well as broader experience in technology, crisis and recovery management and organisational transformation. In her most recent role as a Senior Executive of the University of Canterbury, she was responsible for delivering the post-earthquake recovery programme.
Alex is an accredited Mediator and Non-Executive Board Director. She is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Company Directors, the Resolution Institute and the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand.
