The University of Waikato's Tauranga CBD campus is now a triple winner.

The campus was celebrated at the 2019 Bay of Plenty Property People Awards last night, winning the Best Team and Urban Design categories as well as taking out the overall Supreme Excellence Award.

Judges cited the complexity of stakeholder engagement and the well-executed project team, including 55 subcontractors.

'This project truly exceeded expectations - Greenstone Group, Rider Levett Bucknall, Jasmax, Beca, Hawkins and the broader team, have delivered an exemplary building. The result is a beautiful, well-crafted campus that has enormous benefits for the community.”

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alister Jones from the University of Waikato says that the awards are a credit to the team and the wider group of stakeholders involved in making the new Tauranga campus a reality.

'The shared vision of the community, the consultants, the funders and the University and their belief in the project was a key factor in this project's success. The team worked collaboratively to deliver a world-class facility alongside key stakeholders in the community.”

Alister says the new campus provides a missing link in the network of campuses in the Bay of Plenty.

'The flexible-use campus provides a purpose-built space for leading academics, researchers, teaching staff, postgraduate, undergraduate students, industry and community collaborations and commercialisation activities.”

The project is the first of its kind in New Zealand, initiated through a collaborative partnership between the University of Waikato, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi and Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology.

The development was made possible through the efforts and passion of people of the region, and the generous contributions from Bay of Plenty Regional Council, TECT and Tauranga City Council.

The support and guidance of Ngāi Tamarāwaho as mana whenua alongside the broader iwi leadership of Tauranga moana was also key to the success of the project.

The Bay of Plenty Property People Awards celebrate the people in property; recognising excellence in leadership and innovation in the Bay of Plenty property industry and celebrating outstanding contributions to our industry and the local economy.