Built to fulfil the responsibility of the Carterton District Council to promote the social, cultural, economic and environmental wellbeing of the district the Carterton Events Centre was a timber engineering solution for the heat of the Wairarapa. The strength of the 300 seat main auditorium comes from the use of Pres-Lam structural walls which are topped by long-span LVL trusses and timber rivet connections.

Providing earthquake security for this community structure the Pres-Lam walls combined internal post-tensioning with internal steel reinforcing. This combination provided a strong, seismic resistant, hidden connection which did not intrude into the vast space.

The use of Pres-Lam wall elements fitted perfectly with the large open space required for the auditorium and also allowed for the incorporation of the Category 2 historic Carterton Library, believed to be one of the oldest Operating Public library buildings in New Zealand.

Image 1 (top): Exterior view.
Image 2 (right): Interior view.
Image 3 (below): View of the Hurunui o Rangi Meeting Room.
Photos courtesy Carterton District Council.