The Christchurch Convention Centre Precinct is located in

Christchurch Central City Christchurch Central City or Christchurch City Centre is the geographical centre and the heart of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is defined as the area within the Four Avenues (Bealey Avenue, Fitzgerald Avenue, Moorhouse Avenue and Deans Avenue ...

, New Zealand. It includes the Te Pae Convention centre. The construction of the precinct was funded by the

Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

as part of the

Christchurch Central Recovery Plan The Christchurch Central Recovery Plan, often referred to as the Blueprint, is the plan developed by the Fifth National Government of New Zealand for the recovery of the Christchurch Central City from a series of earthquakes, in particular the F ...

following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The precinct has an area of approximately .

Christchurch Convention Centre (Te Pae)

Ōtākaro Ltd. opened the Te Pae convention centre on 17 December 2021, following several delays, primarily due to a delay in construction and commissioning caused by

Covid-19 restrictions Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of non-pharmaceutical interventions colloquially known as lockdowns (encompassing stay-at-home orders, curfews, quarantines, and similar societal restrictions) have been implemented in numerous coun ...

as the original date was supposed to be in 2017. At a price of $450 million NZD, it came in slightly under budget.

Facilities and design

Te Pae was designed by

Woods Bagot Woods Bagot is a global architectural and consulting practice founded in Adelaide, South Australia. It specialises in the design and planning of buildings across a wide variety of sectors and disciplines. Former names of the practice include Woo ...

Warren and Mahoney Warren and Mahoney is an international architectural and interior design practice - one of the few third generation architectural practices in the history of New Zealand architecture. It is a highly awarded architectural practice, with offices ...

. The 43,000 exterior tiles reflect the

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...

region's braided rivers; the river concept is extended throughout the building, influencing the shape of the windows and the carpet design. The Avon River, Victoria Square, and Cathedral Square are visible from the building, and the route of

Gloucester Street Gloucester Street is a major urban street in central Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. It runs for approximately from a junction with Rolleston Avenue, directly opposite Christ's College at its western end to the suburbs of Lin ...

was interrupted for a block by the site. The reception area contains a marble reception desk, timber columns, and an illuminated artwork named Hana, designed by sculptor Loni Hutchinson. It includes a 1400-seat

auditorium An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances. For movie theatres, the number of auditoria (or auditoriums) is expressed as the number of screens. Auditoria can be found in entertainment venues, communit ...

that can divide into two 700-seat areas. There are numerous

conference rooms A conference hall, conference room, or meeting room is a room provided for singular events such as business conferences and meetings. Room It is commonly found at large hotels and convention centers though many other establishments, including even ...

downstairs and a 2800m² exhibition hall that can be partitioned or enlarged to 3300m². The

banquet hall A banquet hall, function hall, or reception hall, is a special purpose room, or a building, used for hosting large social and business events. Typically a banquet hall is capable of serving dozens to hundreds of people a meal in a timely fashion. Pe ...

has a capacity of 1000 people used for gatherings and

seminar A seminar is a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some parti ...

s. The River Rooms, which overlook the Avon River, can accommodate up to 500 people apiece. They can be joined to accommodate 1,000 guests for major banquets and gala events.

Management

ASM Global The Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), also known as AEG Worldwide, is an American global sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports even ...

, an Australian company, will manage the building, which will employ 200 people. Fifty people will be employed full-time, while 150 will be employed part-time to provide technical, hospitality, and security services for events.

References

External links

Te Pae official website
{{Christchurch earthquakes Buildings and structures in Christchurch Convention centres in New Zealand Christchurch Central City