Engineering gets new building at University of Auckland

Engineering gets new building at University of Auckland

A multi-million dollar Faculty of Engineering building at the University of Auckland will be a state-of-the-art design that transforms the way engineering teaching and learning is delivered in New Zealand.

A multi-million dollar Faculty of Engineering building at the University of Auckland will be a state-of-the-art design that transforms the way engineering teaching and learning is delivered in New Zealand.

The $281.9 million development on Grafton Road opposite the University’s new Business School will incorporate leading architectural design tailored for the needs of engineering students and staff in the 21st Century.

“Engineering is a central and valuable part of what this University has to offer but it is also vital to New Zealand’s economic and technological future and we are extremely pleased to see this project go ahead,” says University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon.

The existing 1960s building on the current site will be demolished to make way for the new building which is eleven stories compared with the existing five. Key design features include access from Grafton Rd into a large open Atrium space and a roof-top facility for technology projects such as telecommunications and environmental monitoring.

“This project further strengthens our Faculty’s ability to deliver quality teaching and learning in all aspects of engineering,” says Dean of Engineering Professor Nic Smith.

“The new building has a level of engineering design that means students will be engaged in a learning environment that will be created using state of the art technology.

“The features and design of this building will also give our staff unprecedented flexibility in programme delivery, not only in the way we use teaching spaces but our ability to deliver multi-disciplinary learning for students across the Faculty.”

The building incorporates a number of automated systems to monitor heating and power use. It will house approximately 400 staff and by 2019, the Faculty is expected to be enrolling 1000 first-year students - up from 650 in 2010.

“It has been a decade of growth for this Faculty and I’m extremely proud of what we continue to achieve,” Professor Smith says. “I’m also looking forward to a future where we continue to provide excellence in engineering education for all New Zealanders.”

Demolition of the existing Building 403 is expected to begin at the end of 2016 with an estimated completion date for the new building of early 2019.

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