University growth

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33779, 27 February 1975, Page 8

University growth

More than a million square feet of floor space in buildings ranging from one to 11 storeys are contained within the University of Canterbury’s new 175-acre campus at Ham. Designed by the Ministry of Works and local architects and built by Christchurch contractors, the buildings constitute the largest single architectural project undertaken in the city.

! The cost, spread over 18 i years of building, is estiI mated at $25 million, but \ would be considerably ! higher at today’s prices. The transfer from the I five-acre central city site, I which served the university for a century, was made necessary by an asi tonishing increase in the student roll. When the decision to move was made in 1949, the roll was 2409. ■ By 1972 enrolments peaked at just on 7000 and have : since steadied at about 6700. The transfer was planned in three major stages: the i School of Engineering, opened in 1960; the Faculty of Science, which alone has a floor area of more than ■ nine acres, opened in 1966; : and the Faculty of Arts, > which will be all but completed for the start of the academic year on Monday. Additional buildings, including a new Registry, Computer Centre, Students’ Union, School of Forestry, seven halls of residence and a block of flats for students, a warehouse and a sports hall have also been built. Still aw-aiting approval is a new School i of Fine Arts. The school

has been accommodated in the Okeover homestead and some temporary buildings since 1957.

The planning of the buildings has involved scores of members of the staff and the negotiations for their construction have engaged the close attention of the University’s three successive Vice-Chancel-lors, Sir John Llewellyn, Dr L. L. Pownall and Professor N. C. Phillips. The planning “overlord" was Mr J. R. P. Blake-Kelly, who retired in 1973 from the position of Government Architect. He advised the University on its architectural planning and presented plans for the disposition of the buildings and the associated landscaping. Since 1961 the detailed planning, arranging of tenders, overseeing construction, furnishing and equipping the new buildings has been the responsiblity of the Deputy-Regis-trar. Buildings (Mr W. D. H. Smith). He recalls that on his first day in his new position he was asked what should be done with hundreds of yards of soil excavated for the construc-

tion of the science buildings. He gave instructions to move the soil across the river on the south-east- of the site. Today if forms a natural-looking embankment round a well-prepared athletics stadium. The incident is typical of the inspiration that has given the university numerous facilities at Ham — a Staff Club in the Ham homestead. a sports hall, sports fields, a warehouse and staff common rooms. The task has at times been frustrating. Plans were drawn and redrawn to meet objections. Government approval for the calling of tenders was delayed from time to time by general economic conditions. Shortages of labour and materials caused additional delays. Meanwhile the roll continued to grow and the city site became more and more congested, even though departments had begun their migration to the new site.

One procedure proposed by the chairman of the University Grants Committee (Sir Alan Danks) speeded negotiations for new buildings. This was the “cash constraint’’

scheme, by which the university was offered a sum of money for the planning,; designing, construction, furnishing and equipping of a building. It was immediately successful in the construction of the School of Forestry at Ham and was the means by which other buildings, including the Registry, were completed. Seen from the top of the tall buidings at Ham, Christchurch is embowered with trees; and the new campus will be in harmony with its surroundings. As cranes depart and scaffolding comes down, thousands of trees and shrubs have been planted. Thousands more, some of them propagated in ' the homestead nursery, have yet to be planted. The flat paddocks have been mounded, the two streams beautified and trees, lawns and shrubs have softened the rawness of new buildings and broken the open expanses of circulation area. Even without the growth of the next few years there is already at Ham a campus of which the city, the province and New Zealand may be proud.