Transforming an earthquake-damaged building into a modern education hub
Old building, new home
The Rehua building reinstatement, completed in Christchurch in 2019, converted the earthquake-damaged former Commerce Building into a state-of-the-art learning environment for the College of Education. Extensively damaged and vacated following the Canterbury earthquakes, the iconic Ian Athfield-designed building was stripped back to its structural frame for strengthening and repair, creating the opportunity to repurpose it into a much-needed new home for the College of Education. The scope delivered a complete strip-out, significant structural strengthening, a new façade, and a full interior fit-out incorporating acoustically sensitive spaces and technology-enabled learning environments aligned with modern pedagogy.
As a trusted partner for the University of Canterbury’s Earthquake Remediation Programme, Rubix began with damage assessment and insurer negotiation. We assisted the University with business case development and strategies, and supported the development of a repair strategy that successfully incorporated betterment and upgrade works, while informing the rebuild versus refurbishment decision aligned with the University’s Campus Master Plan.
Rubix provided comprehensive project management and Engineer’s Representative services, managing the entire design process as well as partial demolition, façade removal, structural strengthening, and reinstatement. Delivery was carefully managed within a live campus environment, requiring strict safety protocols, stakeholder coordination, and phased sequencing to minimise disruption to students and staff. With openings required in the existing concrete frame for steel installation, safety was a key concern, and phasing was meticulously planned to maintain structural integrity throughout delivery. Cultural integration was embedded through stakeholder engagement and the incorporation of the University’s cultural narrative into the design.
Rehua achieved its objectives and received industry recognition, including the 2019 ACENZ Silver Award and the 2019 Canterbury Architecture Interior Award, establishing a resilient, future-focused learning environment for the University.
Points of interest
- To install the new steel frame, openings had to be made in the existing concrete frame. This weakened the structure and required very careful phasing to safely execute the work.
- With multiple government business and implementation cases and a complicated governance structure, we not only have to understand the process inside out but also be able to articulate it clearly to the wider team.
