As a city we can use locally sourced timber products & fabrication, which exhibit our natural resources. At the face, this pivotal city rebuild needs to be aesthetic, bold, leading edge, and relevant to the future & Southern New Zealand culture. Rather than construction methods / material of the past, timber construction is better able to tick a lot more of those important energy efficient, quick construction, public safety and healthy building “boxes” than conventional concrete / steel buildings can – which will all go to the landfill at the end of their usable life.
As far as providing the residents of Invercargill with a “wow factor wood rebuild”, we must be able to present the designers from our own district as well, as more well-known consultants. Wood construction is likely to employ & support local industries, local builders & fitout specialists for retail shop fitouts, and display areas. I would have thought maximizing the local employment opportunities / up-skillng the local construction workforce and keeping as much of the rebuild dollar’s in Invercargill / Southland would have been factored into the overall rebuild strategy.
This rebuild should deliver a number of outcomes/benefits as well as commercial considerations.