A timelapse video has been released to showcase the progress made on the construction of Te Kaha, a new multi-use stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Work on the stadium commenced last year and the lead contractor of the NZ$683m (£329m/€379m/$404m) project, BESIX Watpac, installed a site camera near its office on Tuam St in November 2022 to capture images of the precinct every five minutes.
The result is a 70-second timelapse video documenting the different phases of work that have taken place over the past 12 months. Ground improvement works were already well underway in November 2022, with rammed aggregate piers installed vertically into the ground before major excavation work was done to prepare Te Kaha’s foundations.
Major concrete pours for the substructure and ground floor columns and walls began in January and gradually worked north and east across the site from the southwest corner. The last major concrete pour for the concrete substructure was completed in August, and the ground floor concrete superstructure is expected to be finished by Christmas.
The first major piece of steel for the western grandstand was locked into place in June. Soon, the first of the huge steel radial trusses that will support the roof will be hoisted into place on the southern stand.
Once complete, the stadium will have 25,000 permanent seats, with space in the northern stand to hold a further 5,000 temporary seats and a maximum capacity of 36,000 in full concert mode.
David Kennedy, project delivery chief executive of Te Kaha, said: “It’s not until you think back on how the site looked a year ago that you realise just how much progress BESIX Watpac and their subcontractors have made.
“Now that the vertical construction is well above the hoardings, people can watch the 30,000-capacity arena quickly taking shape. It’s an exciting time for Cantabrians.”
In an interview with TheStadiumBusiness.com last month, Kent Sumerfield, project director of delivery at Te Kaha, confirmed that the stadium remains on budget and on track to open by April 2026.
