Events Centre Shortlisted for Global Award

Events Centre Shortlisted for Global Award

The ratepayer-funded Northland Events Centre in Whangarei has been shortlisted in the 2010 World Architecture Festival Awards.

Auckland-based Copeland Associates Architects – which worked with Argon Construction to design the Okara Park facility – entered it in the awards, to be held in Spain later this year.

The Events Centre has now been shortlisted in the Festival’s ‘Completed Buildings – Sports’ category along with five entrants from Ireland, Mexico, South Africa, Spain and Sweden. (The South African entry is the facility dubbed 'The Melting Pot' which hosted the recent 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer finals.)

Copeland Associates Architects has been invited to present in Barcelona in early November, when a winner will be announced.

The recently completed Centre was jointly funded by the Northland Regional Council (NRC) - whose ratepayers contributed $13 million – and the Whangarei District Council, which contributed $3 million. The Centre - which will also host two matches during the Rugby World Cup in 2011 - also attracted a $2.5 million grant from Central Government.

The Northland Regional Council worked closely with Argon Construction during the centre’s construction.

Regional Council Chief Executive Ken Paterson, who was the project director throughout the construction process, says the NRC is thrilled the hard work of all those involved has been recognised; its architects and constructors, a large number of Northland sub-contractors and the local authorities.

However, he says the region’s ratepayers – who funded the Centre – can be especially proud of what had been achieved on their behalf.

Copeland Associates Architects Director Barry Copeland says he’s delighted the Centre has been selected and recognised as a world-class building.

“It was a pleasure to work on a facility that has such a strong community aspect to it, particularly when that will continue for many years to come.”

Meanwhile, Mr Paterson says although the Centre’s official opening is not scheduled to take place until October, it is already being well-patronised by a broad cross section of the community for a wide variety of uses.

ENDS

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