Wednesday, 30 August 2017 14:55

Work starts on $206m campus

Written by  Nigel Malthus
An architect’s render of one of the labs to be incorporated in the new building. An architect’s render of one of the labs to be incorporated in the new building.

A ground breaking ceremony at Lincoln University has marked the start of work on the $206 million new joint facility to house AgResearch and Lincoln University researchers, students and staff.

The Minister of Tertiary Education, Paul Goldsmith, joined AgResearch chief executive Tom Richardson, Lincoln University chancellor Steve Smith, vice-chancellor Robin Pollard and Selwyn MP Amy Adams wielding spades on the site, formerly occupied by the quake-damaged Hilgendorf complex.

The 27,000 sq.m building will house about 300 AgResearch staff including its corporate headquarters, a similar number of Lincoln University staff and about 75 DairyNZ staff.

Parts of it will be complete in 2019 and the remainder in 2020.

The Burns Wing, standing on the Springs Road side of the site, has yet to be demolished to make way for the new building.

The facility will be jointly owned by AgResearch and the university with DairyNZ as a tenant.

It has been planned around the concept of bringing together staff from the disparate organisations, as well as Lincoln students, in a collaborative environment to enhance agricultural science and education.

“The connections forged inside this facility are going to mean a new era of top quality science and impact for agriculture, which will in turn mean more prosperous communities across New Zealand,” says AgResearch chief executive Tom Richardson.

“It is also going to be a huge drawcard for the smartest minds to join in our research and keep us at the cutting edge.”

Lincoln University chancellor Steve Smith called it an historic day.

“The opportunity for Lincoln University – one which we intend to seize – is to unleash the potential inherent in having our teachers and students working alongside and partnering with the leading-edge scientists from AgResearch, other CRIs and industry.”

“The real power in learning and research comes from proximity: human relationships, being in the same space, chance conversations and the synergies observed between different academic and scientific disciplines,” Smith said.

Vice-chancellor Dr Robin Pollard called the building a means to an end.

“What really matters is to have staff students and colleagues in the CRIs to come together and work together though collaboration in ways that improve the outcomes.

“Lincoln is multidisciplinary but many of those people have not been involved in AgResearch-type projects, so the nature of research will change as well, I think,” said Pollard.

“My plan for Lincoln is to be completely open to collaboration.”

The project has been closely linked to the Lincoln Hub concept through the planning stages but is not being officially described as the hub building. Pollard referred to confusion about naming the facility.

The Lincoln Hub company, a joint venture between Lincoln University, AgResearch, Landcare Research, Plant & Food Research and DairyNZ, is already in operation as a facilitator and co-ordinator of joint projects, but Pollard said it would not “immediately” be a tenant in the new building.

More like this

$10,500 for future ag leaders

The future of New Zealand’s agricultural sector grew a little brighter, with the South Island Agricultural Field Days (SIAFD) now accepting applications for its scholarships through Lincoln University, offering $10,500 to up to six exceptional students who are poised to become the next leaders in the primary industries.

Featured

Australia develops first local mRNA FMD vaccine

Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.

NZ household food waste falls again

Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.

Editorial: No joking matter

OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.

National

All eyes on NZ milk supply

All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.

Machinery & Products

Leader balers arrive in NZ

Officially launched at the National Fieldays event in June, the Leader in-line conventional PRO 1900 balers are imported and distributed…

JDLink Boost for NZ farms

Connectivity is widely recognised as one of the biggest challenges facing farmers, but it is now being overcome through the…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Full cabinet

OPINION: Legislation being drafted to bring back the controversial trade of live animal exports by sea is getting stuck in the…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter