University of Canterbury — Rehua Building

Rehua is a seven-storey teaching and community building at the heart of the University of Canterbury's Ilam campus in Christchurch. The university's former Commerce building was rebuilt as a purpose-designed contemporary learning space and occupied for teaching in 2019. It houses the College of Education, Health and Human Development, the College of Business and Law's Executive Development Programmes, and the UC Centre for Entrepreneurship.

The building was designed by Athfield Architects and won 2019 Canterbury Architecture Awards in both the Education and Interior Architecture categories, the jury noting the staggered atrium and staircase as a social space for gathering. A light-filled central atrium with open stairs and ramps connects the north and south blocks, and the building has been opened to the public for architecture tours as part of Open Christchurch.

For event use, Rehua offers large flexible learning spaces fitted with current teaching technology, alongside meeting and project rooms, breakout areas, a cultural function space, a café, informal social spaces across all seven floors and a makerspace. That mix supports academic conferences, seminar and workshop streams, executive education courses, research symposia and breakout programmes run on campus, particularly where a plenary is held elsewhere at UC.

One caveat for organisers: Rehua is an academic building rather than a commercial conference venue, and the University does not publish theatre, banquet or cocktail capacities, floor areas, catering arrangements, parking or hire rates for its rooms. Bookings and specifications need to be confirmed directly with the University of Canterbury. Other hireable spaces exist on the same campus, including venues operated by the UC Students' Association.