NZ Timber
e h T
s i e c n fe
Story: Hayley Leibowitz
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HIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP. We are effectively taking down the fence that’s been around Scion for quite some time,” says Scion CEO, Dr Julian Elder, of the Crown Research Institute’s new building named Te Whare Nui o Tuteata. “It was a real eye opener to me to come to Scion and learn all of the wonderful things
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that happen here. Now we are no longer an ‘invisible, secret, science establishment behind the trees’. The fence is coming down.” In collaboration with Irving Smith Architects, RTA Studio was commissioned to reimagine Scion’s Rotorua headquarters. The project allows the workforce from around the campus to collaborate in
a central space which will be the new public face of Scion in the community. The design showcases timber use in commercial construction, with emphasis on the innovation and research reflecting the essence of Scion as an organisation. Julian explains that the timing of the creation of the new building is crucial,
