Ellerbe Becket will team with local firm Athfield/Architectus on strategic planning, renovation of existing facilities and the addition of a west stand. Budget for the project is NZ $40 million. Schedule and timeline are still under discussion.
Renovation plans include an expansion consisting of new premium and general seating, a club lounge, luxury suites, concourse improvements, new media facilities and other retail and entertainment offerings. “We’re preserving the best of the past and adding features that will put Jade Stadium on a par with the most modern sports facilities in the world,” said Ellerbe Becket Principal David Murphy.
The stadium, formerly known as Lancaster Park, was formed in 1880 by the Canterbury Cricket and Athletic Sports Company Ltd. It was renamed Jade Stadium in June 1998 as part of a sponsorship agreement with Aoraki Corporation.
This is the latest in a series of historic renovations for Ellerbe Becket that began with famed University of Notre Dame Football Stadium. DLA/Ellerbe Becket, the firm’s European company, is renovating the legendary Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris, home of the Paris-St. Germain soccer club.
“Ellerbe Becket has been global for years, but this is an important strategic win for us,” said Murphy. “It’s our first project in New Zealand.” Ellerbe Becket’s James Pieper, who served as Sports Facility Advisor to the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, will serve as project architect on Jade Stadium.
Also competing for the Jade project were HOK+LOBB, and firms from South Africa and Australia.
An innovator since its founding, Ellerbe Becket provides integrated architecture, engineering, interiors, planning and construction services from 12 office locations worldwide. Ellerbe Becket currently is ranked the second largest architecture and engineering firm in the United States by Building Design & Construction. The firm is celebrating its 90th anniversary during 1999.
