Christchurch to benefit from the best of British

27 October 2011

Christchurch to benefit from the best of British

Two travel scholarships being offered to emerging leaders of New Zealand design

New Zealand designers, architects and engineers with forward-thinking urban design ideas for rebuilding the quake-affected Christchurch, are being invited to apply for two travel scholarships to the United Kingdom to meet with leaders of Britain’s urban design community.

The British Council Christchurch Scholarships, in partnership with Massey University, challenges current students and graduates to submit concepts to support Christchurch’s redesign. Two travel scholarships worth $6000 will be offered to the designers offering the best solutions in the fields of spatial, industrial and transport design, and architecture.

British High Commissioner Mrs Vicki Treadell made the announcement at a Rebuild Roundtable at the city’s Museum today between major British companies and the city’s business leaders. Mrs Treadell said “I welcome this initiative. It is yet another example of our desire to be as much part of Christchurch’s future as we were of its past.”
The scholarships are open to students of spatial, industrial and transport design, and architecture, and graduates within three years of leaving study.

Massey University Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey says he is pleased to be involved in a partnership with the British Council that will have tangible benefits to Canterbury people and Christchurch's inner city reconstruction but also to young designers. "Innovation, creativity and sustainability are recognised as essential to successful modern urban design, whether it is in transport, buildings, infrastructure, green spaces or the integration of all of these. Through its Wellington School of Design, Massey has 125 years of history of leading New Zealand in those fields.

“As devastating as the earthquakes have been, we now have the opportunity to develop innovative design solutions that help shape not only the future of Christchurch, but of the new-New Zealand. Through design we have the capacity to bring about positive change," Mr Maharey says. "This is an exciting opportunity for current design students and recent graduates of any New Zealand university or tertiary institution to think of ways to make a difference and we will ensure through Massey's contacts with some of Britain's top design teaching and research institutions that they have a rewarding and inspiring experience among world leaders in their chosen field.”

Ingrid Leary, British Council New Zealand Country Director says Britain has a unique offer in terms of assisting the people of Christchurch to recreate their city in a dynamic and sustainable way after the devastating earthquakes, and is supporting the future leaders of the city to take ownership of how the new Christchurch will look and function.

She says both scholarships include return airfares and accommodation in Britain for ten working days, with the two recipients meeting with the UK’s top university design faculties.

Each scholarship will be awarded for designing a vibrant and resilient society.
“Through understanding the experience that the people of Christchurch have suffered and endured we can respond with design solutions that develop resilient communities, systems, security, and connectedness for the city.

Christchurch provides opportunities for designers and architects, to deal with the city landscape. This involves re-thinking space, forming and constructing meaningful and appropriate physical and temporal environments for its inhabitants.

“We are asking spatial designers and architects to address Christchurch’s new urban and city landscape. We’ll be looking for concepts which re-think urban space, and how to form and construct meaningful and appropriate physical and temporal environments for its inhabitants. From industrial designers, we’re seeking product concepts that will solve the city’s current urban design issues.

“Entrants in the transport design category will need to propose ideas that build on the strength of Christchurch’s former public transport system, one that has a proven one-way system, bus and cycle networks, and well-used pedestrian and park facilities. We’re looking for original ideas which will reaffirm the city as a world leader in this field, and which offer clear and perceivable benefits for everyone living and working in Christchurch,” says Ms. Leary.

Scholarship applications open next month and entrants can seek information, and submit design concepts to http://creative.massey.ac.nz

The two scholarship recipients will be announced in August next year for travel commencing in 2012.

ENDS

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