The day of Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is finally here.

The opening ceremony for Ōtautahi's new convention centre will be held on December 17, with the first big events to take place in 2022. The centre has changed the layout and skyline of the central city, and those behind it hope its completion marks another upgrade to life and business in the CBD.

The convention centre is designed with many versatile spaces to handle different event requirements, including 2800 square metres of exhibition space, which can accommodate up to 200 exhibition booths. There are also 24 meeting rooms, seating for up to 1800 diners, and the delegate auditorium can be divided to host two events at the same time. The developers say it is a world-class facility in a prime riverside position in the heart of Christchurch's centre.

Ōtākaro Limited general manager of development John O’Hagan is responsible for delivering all Crown-led Anchor Projects in Christchurch, including Te Pae, and he says the landmark building will help regenerate Christchurch's central city. The curved façade is designed to be sympathetic to its environment, and the location and the design of the building links perfectly with the City Promenade, Victoria Square and the Avon River.

Read our full Q&A with John here

Melbourne architecture studio Woods Bagot, in conjunction with Christchurch-based Warren and Mahoney, designed Te Pae to be a unique and iconic building for Christchurch. Woods Bagot design principal Bruno Mendes was the design leader on the project, and he used an aerial photo he took of a classic Cantabrian braided river to inspire the flowing elements of Te Pae.

Read our full interview with Bruno here

The sculpure that frames the ceremonial entrance to Te Pae is a ngutu designed by Ngāi Tahu artists Rachael Rakena and Simon Kaan. The artwork is named Te Aika, and incorporates imagery of the feathers of the kōtuku, a native heron. It's eight metres high, designed to stand in its own right next to Te Pae, one of the biggest buildings in the city.

Read our full interview with Rachael and Simon here