The Beatrice Tinsley Building forms part of the University of Canterbury’s showcase science precinct, the Rutherford Regional Science and Innovation Centre (RRSIC), with an innovative and sustainable design exemplifying seismic resilience. Housing staff and post-graduate office spaces to support science activities located in the adjoining Ernest Rutherford Building, Beatrice Tinsley showcases the viability of timber for mid- to large-scale construction in Aotearoa New Zealand.

With a ground-breaking structural system engineered by the University of Canterbury, Beatrice Tinsley was the tallest post tensioned LVL building in Aotearoa New Zealand upon completion. The ​‘low-damage design’ includes steel tensioning allowing the timber frame to flex and ​‘snap-back’ following a significant seismic event, ensuring both safety and repairability. Other timber components include timber Potius floors, CLT feature stairs, a timber roof structure and timber partitioning. With its extensive use of timber, the building sequesters an impressive 100 metric tonnes of carbon.

A key benefit of using a light timber structure was the ability to retain and reuse the foundations, basement, and ground-floor slab of the existing Von Haast Building, over which Beatrice Tinsley is built. By repurposing these elements, the building was delivered at a comparable cost to traditional concrete or steel structures. This approach also contributed to reducing the building’s embodied carbon footprint.