As a showcase building the NMIT Arts and Media Building is the first in a new generation of multi-storey timber buildings. It employs an advanced earthquake design to avoid damage, which is a world first for a timber building. This revolutionary earthquake technology has been developed by Aurecon structural engineers and is based on the latest timber research from the University of Canterbury.
The building also employs several new timber structural systems for floors, beams and columns that truly demonstrate the ability of structural timber for use in multi-storey construction.
"The innovation in the seismic resisting systems together with the careful design and detailing have created an exemplar building."