ABOUT THE PROJECT
INNOVATIVE STRUCTURE
CREATING ART HISTORY
WORKING WITH SCHOOLS
NMIT's new Arts and Media building is the largest ever capital investment in the arts in the Top of the South. NMIT has invested in the community by providing a new art space and unique performance centre. For the first time in NMIT's long arts teaching history, arts and media students have one building as their base. This innovative, creative space reflects the strength of art in our region and is purpose built to enhance students' creativity. NMIT like to also acknowledge BNZ as Principal Sponsors of the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology Arts and Media Building and also, Gen‐i as supporters of the leading edge media suite. The building is sustainable, environmentally sensitive and local, with the design and resources all being sourced within 100 kilometres of Nelson. The building is a world first for both its timber earthquake resistance design and its unique laminated veneer lumber (LVL) primary structure multi-storied building; this building is an inspiring learning environment that feels good to be in.
In 2008 discussions were held around design concepts between NMIT managers, Arts and Media staff and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. A competition for the design was created stipulating that the building must be sustainable, local and substantially made of wood. In partnership, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and NMIT offered a national design competition, with MAF providing $1m towards construction costs as the prize. A Nelson-based team of Irving Smith Jack Architects Ltd and multi-disciplinary engineers Aurecon, won the design competition against a formidable array of top design teams from throughout New Zealand. The judges' comments said the design solution meets the specific needs of NMIT as a creative learning institution, using state-of-the-art structural timber technology coupled with the use of locally produced materials including Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and a design that expresses all the internal structural components. It is unique in the world in terms of wooden building design. The NMIT Arts and Media building has therefore also become a vital teaching tool during construction and beyond, as engineers, architects, builders and the associated training providers are invited to assess the building to promote the use of wood in commercial construction. Click here to view the building information document.
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View a timeline of NMIT's Arts and Media School History. Images and videos taken of the development of the building during construction can be viewed below. TOP
The following timelapse videos show the Arts and Media building in various stages of construction.
During construction, space was made available on the safety fence facing Nile Street for 12 panels of artwork. As a community and school relations project, the space was offered to different schools and community groups and also to Arts and Media staff and students to paint with their designs, giving schools and community groups as well, as NMIT Arts and Media staff and students, an opportunity to be part of the project and to have their art work on display to the public at the site.