4 | DEVELOPMENT Warren and Mahoney Architects: Te Kaha stadium Christchurch T T Kim Newth Te Kaha - ‘much more than a stadium’ T T to page 6 Christchurch was promised a new stadium in 2012 as part of earthquake recovery plans. In fact, the central city will soon have something much better: a multi-use arena, designed to open up a whole new era for sports, concerts and other events. With construction of the new $683 million Te Kaha multi-use arena now taking shape, anticipation is growing about what this new facility will bring to the city once completed in 2026. Project architect and sports and recreation specialist Matt Body, of Christchurch’s Warren and Mahoney Architects, says it is an exciting “It has been designed to be used through the week and will really help kickstart activity on that side of the city.“ time for all involved. Warren and Mahoney is part of the Kōtui consortium, which is delivering the design and build contract. Other members include Australian-based stadium construction experts BESIX Watpac, global stadium designers Populous and Mott MacDonald and local companies Southbase Construction and Lewis Bradford. “We have a very clear understanding of what each party brings and have developed excellent working relationships,” observes Matt. “It has worked really well.” Having been involved with this project since early 2021, Matt is thrilled that construction is now gathering pace, following site preparations and excavation works for the foundations. The long-awaited new arena will be impressive: at 232m long, 195m wide and 47m high at its apex, Te Kaha will have a 30,000-seating capacity and hold up to 37,800 in full concert mode. The strong fixed roof, partially made of lightweight metal and a durable, transparent material called ETFE, will span 31,500sqm. “Te Kaha will be a game-changer for the city. What’s really special is that it’s fully enclosed and that’s what enables multi-use; it’s not just for big games and concerts but also for conferences and e-sports. “It has been designed to be used through the week and will really help kickstart activity on that side of the city. It’s all about providing different ways to bring people together.”
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