You’ve seen the hoarding on the University Common in front of the Library, and today, we are very excited to share a little bit about what is happening in that space.

While we can’t share all the details just yet, we can tell you that we are creating something very exciting just for our staff and students.

Campus Common will be a new mix of contemporary food, beverage, event and social options. The innovative recreational indoor/outdoor space will be inspired by the Re:START container mall brand made famous by Christchurch after the devastating earthquake in 2011 (pictured below).

Re:START opened in October 2011, largely funded by the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust and operated successfully for more than five years to great acclaim before closing in April this year to make way for new CBD retail spaces.

Information about specific tenants will be available at a later date. We can say though that there will be coffee, juice and a variety of cuisine types. Ubar will also join the space, and there will be even more licensed area for socialising as well as direct access to other food and beverage offerings. It’ll return to the new Hub building once completed.

We’re aiming to open Campus Common in Session 2 after September graduations. Until then, you can continue to frequent the current Hub, which will operate as normal until the Campus Common opens. Library operations will also continue to operate as normal.

Stay tuned to future editions for more details in the lead-up to the opening of the new Campus Common.