Christchurch Botanical Gardens

Public

Client: Christchurch City Council

Architect: Pattersons

Location: Christchurch City Centre

Completion: June 2014

In late 2008, the Christchurch City Council advertised an International Design Competition for the design of Christchurch’s mixed use Botanic Gardens Project.

There were 32 entries to the competition, 6 of which were shortlisted. Pattersons and eCubed combined won the final design through an assessment process led by Professor Jonathan Hunt in December 2009.

This 60,000m2 multipurpose facility created a new visitors centre, café, herbarium, nurseries and greenhouses, a library, function centre, and exhibition lawn.

The structure is designed to exceed international environmental standards and is constructed mainly of a diagrid type façade with a mix of high performance glazing and a skin glass façade to the north. 

Features include:

• innovative use of a large scale under floor air conditioning for mixed use building in NZ

• rainwater collection from the roof, supplying a water feature and toilets

• a fully addressable lighting system that uses occupancy detection and daylight harvesting

• a heat pump heating and cooling water system

• solar water heating

• materials containing low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and formaldehyde.