The Christchurch Boys’ High School (CBHS) Campus Redevelopment was a multi-stage project delivered under the Christchurch Schools Rebuild (CSR) programme, addressing earthquake damage and modernising facilities for over 1,350 students. RDT Pacific served as Project Manager and Engineer to the Contract for the Ministry of Education, overseeing several transformational projects:

• Straven Block(2019): Construction of a new teaching block to provide decanting capacity throughout the campus redevelopment works.
• Caddick & Caldwell Blocks(2020): New classroom buildings were constructed to replace buildings damaged in the Canterbury Earthquakes, featuring flexible learning spaces and science labs. These buildings form the cornerstone of the campus redevelopment, making more efficient use of available space and delivering modern, collaborative teaching environments.
• Main Block(2025): The Main Block project involved the strengthening and heritage refurbishment of the 1926 Category 1 heritage building, including a new Arts/Te Reo annex. This revitalised Main Block re-establishes the heart of the campus, housing updated facilities for school administration and key student support services such as Guidance, International Students, and Careers. It also provides fresh, purpose-built spaces for the English, Technology, Art, and Te Reo Māori faculties.

The Main Block Redevelopment restored the campus’s heart while delivering state-of-the-art teaching environments, balancing heritage preservation with modern educational needs. The Campus Redevelopment project was delivered to the satisfaction of both the Ministry of Education and Christchurch Boys’ High School, ensuring a modern, inspiring environment that will be enjoyed by generations of Boys’ High students to come.

RDT Pacific’s Role

We provided end-to-end Project Management for the campus redevelopment, including:

• Master planning and decanting strategies: Developed to minimise disruption across all phases of the redevelopment, ensuring the school remained fully operational throughout construction on the live site.
• Procurement innovation: To streamline the programme and accelerate delivery, the Straven Block was fast-tracked using a Design and Build approach. In contrast, the Caddick and Caldwell buildings followed a Traditional procurement model. During their construction, the contractor was engaged early under an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) model to contribute to the design and planning of the Main Block. Both the Caddick and Caldwell, and the Main Block projects were delivered under separate NZS3910 contracts.
• Stakeholder collaboration: Ongoing engagement with the school was critical to maintaining smooth operations in a live environment. We successfully balanced Ministry of Education priorities, school expectations, and heritage requirements (Heritage NZ, Christchurch City Council).
• Budget agility: We effectively managed the budget and scope with a focus on redevelopment that prioritised life safety, NZBC compliance, and weathertightness repairs. These critical upgrades were carefully balanced with heritage requirements and delivered within a post-COVID cost-volatile environment.

Challenges & Collaborative Solutions

• Master planning and scoping: The Campus Redevelopment project scope required detailed consideration, to focus on key project priorities that were achievable within budget, noting that existing buildings needed to be demolished, and new buildings constructed, in order to decant and complete the campus wide redevelopment works.
• Heritage integration: The aged Main Block required careful conservation alongside modernisation. Targeted refurbishment preserved historical character while delivering state-of-the-art facilities.
• Live site logistics: Construction coincided with full school operations. Detailed decanting plans and phased works ensured uninterrupted learning.
• Relationship development and transparency: We built strong, collaborative relationships with both the School and the Ministry of Education, fostering open communication around deliverables and project constraints. At times, constructive dialogue was needed to navigate differing priorities, but this approach ultimately led to shared understanding and aligned outcomes.

Outcomes & Value Delivered

• Social: While the Caddick and Caldwell Blocks modernised the campus and provided much-needed additional teaching space, the revitalised Main Block restored the school’s cultural heart—fostering a renewed sense of pride among students and staff.
• Economic: Cost-effective lifecycle solutions reduced long-term maintenance burdens.
• Environmental: Sustainable reuse of the existing structure minimised waste and embodied carbon.

The project met all agreed standards, with the Caddick & Caldwell Blocks winning architectural acclaim and the Main Block delivering exceptional heritage-compliant outcomes, and most of all the project has delivered critical teaching spaces for Christchurch Boys’ High School to help them deliver future educational needs and helped to extend the life of the existing Category 1 heritage building.

The Christchurch Boys’ High School Campus Redevelopment successfully balanced heritage preservation with modern educational needs, delivering state-of-the-art teaching environments. RDT Pacific’s comprehensive project management ensured minimal disruption, cost control, and stakeholder alignment, resulting in a revitalised campus that meets the needs of contemporary education while honouring its historical significance.