End of an Era for Eden Park

Saturdayâs Bledisloe Cup test match at Aucklandâs Eden Park marked the end of an era for the venue. Within hours of the refereeâs final whistle, Eden Parkâs historic South Stand began to be stripped with salvageable and interesting items being removed ahead of its upcoming demolition.
The demolition is the first stage of the redevelopment of the new NZ$240 million Eden Park that will see the venue transformed to hold 60,000 people for the semi-finals and finals of the 2011 Rugby World Cup before being reduced to 50,000 seats in legacy mode.
Architects for the redevelopment, international stadia specialists, HOK Sport Architecture, believe the project is an excellent example of the âmultifunctionalityâ of an iconic major stadium. The Park is the symbolic home of both rugby and cricket in New Zealand and the redeveloped venue will not only host the 2011 Rugby World Cup but also the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
HOK Sport Architecture Senior Principal Alastair Richardson says that the design philosophy encourages maximum usage out of such a major piece of public infrastructure, so that it has long term sustainability. A venue essentially designed as a cricket stadium will now become New Zealandâs premier rugby stadium.
As he explains, âthe reconfigured seating bowl at Eden Park will allow patrons to be as close to the action for both rugby and cricket. The correct design and attention to detail means multi-code stadia can meet the experience and atmosphere expectations of cricket and rugby fans alike. The key to the design has been the careful orientation and integration of an International Standard Cricket Oval and test Rugby Union Field, incorporating the latest in drop in wicket technology which also brings patrons closer to the action.�?
Another key consideration has been the significant incorporation of environmentally sustainable design principals. Advanced lightweight recyclable cladding systems have been developed to embrace the building and provide protection to all patrons while water harvesting and solar water heating will reduce the impact of the building on the environment and its carbon footprint.
As Richardson adds, âenvironmentally sustainable design is a serious component of design in the modern stadium. The redeveloped Eden Park is designed to minimise its impact on the local community as well as the environment.�?