The University of Canterbury has unveiled one of New Zealand’s most modern and exciting education facilities for the first time.
The centre of the major modernisation of all UC Engineering facilities, the Core is a place where staff and students will learn and socialise together in a modern teaching and learning environment for years to come, UC Vice-Chancellor Dr Rod Carr says.
“We are celebrating a major milestone in our Canterbury Engineering The Future (CETF) Project as the UC Engineering Core, located at the very heart of the Engineering precinct, opens for business,” Carr says.
“The Core is a key component of the state-of-the-art, $144 million CETF project and the University would like to acknowledge the significant government contribution of up to $260m for this project and the Regional Science and Innovation Centre.
“We are looking forward to several openings in 2017, as more than $400m of major projects reach completion.”
What was once essentially a thoroughfare enclosing a little-used courtyard has been transformed into a modern, expansive, inviting space that provides students with a dynamic mix of social and flexible learning spaces.
Drawing offices, CAD suites, lecture theatres and meeting rooms located around the perimeter of the Core integrate seamlessly with attractive lounge areas, study cubicles and casual seating, all finished in the vibrant purple that is UC Engineering’s signature colour.
College of Engineering Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Evans-Freeman says she has been looking forward to bringing students and staff into the Core after an extensive, two-year remediation programme.
“We will use the open areas to regularly showcase student achievements, projects and research, to host conferences, and to continue to attract students and staff to come here to study and work,” Evans-Freeman says.
“Providing student learning and discussion areas, together with food options, close to major lecture theatres and research laboratories will ensure that the Core is a vibrant place at all hours of the day, every day.”
Teaching will also begin in two of the four Engineering wings that connect directly to the Core. The Electrical and Computer Engineering wing and the Chemical and Processing Engineering wing were completed last year, while 2017 will see the completion of the Mechanical Engineering wing and the Civil and Natural Resources Engineering wing.
Together with the new Structural Engineering Laboratory which opened in April 2016, the opening of these wings will mark the completion of the entire CETF project, ensuring future UC Engineering students have the finest facilities and technologies available. The CETF development will be officially opened at a later date.
