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The final look of the façade and seating pattern for One New Zealand Stadium has been revealed by Christchurch City Council, with the venue still on track to open in April 2026.
The council has appointed Morgan Darlison, a local visual artist and graphic designer, to develop a range of works to feature throughout the multi-purpose stadium.
The exterior façade of the stadium will feature a pattern made up of 800 metres of steel sheeting in colours representing the local Canterbury landscape. The pattern references Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula, Port Hills, Kā Tiritiri o te Moana Southern Alps, and Maukatere Mt Grey.
Darlison said: “One of the amazing things about this project is that we’re building something right in the middle of the city that we can use to reflect the natural landscapes around us. I think this is the one thing that connects us all as Cantabrians.”
One New Zealand Stadium will be a fully covered 25,000-seat venue, with capacity to accommodate 30,000 fans for large concerts and events. The stadium will be capable of hosting All Blacks matches.
The cladding installation will start next month on the south stand of the stadium along Tuam Street, progressing to the east and west. The last sheets will be fitted in the north stand in the middle of 2025.
In a first for New Zealand, the seating bowl will feature a kowhaiwhai pattern inspired by the hammerhead shark in black and grey. The first seats are set to be installed around April next year.
Telecommunications company One New Zealand acquired naming rights to the stadium, which is also known as Te Kaha, in July. The 10-year deal will run until 2036.
For more insights into the stadium, read our October 2023 interview with project director Kent Summerfield here.
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