It is understood the company started paying rent last month for its new staff and studio spaces on the sixth and seventh floors of TVNZ\u2019s Victoria St building.<\/p>\n
Building contractors have already moved in, with their construction signs visible in TVNZ windows.<\/p>\n
The move can\u2019t come soon enough for more than 160 RNZ staff who are currently crammed into a rabbit warren-like space in a building on Hobson St in central Auckland. The building is no longer fit for purpose for a modern-day media company.<\/p>\n
The cost<\/p>\n
RNZ said today the total capital cost of the project was $10.66m across various contracts. <\/p>\n
The contract for building works had been awarded to interiors and construction company Cape for $6.165m (excluding GST). The technical fitout had been awarded to Gencom, Qvest and AVC, with a total budgeted spend of $4.5m.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe project is being funded from RNZ\u2019s capital investment budget and from financial reserves,\u201d said an RNZ statement.<\/p>\n
RNZ building contractors’ signs are already visible in the windows of TVNZ’s Auckland headquarters. Photo \/ supplied<\/p>\n
RNZ chief technology officer Mark Bullen said in the statement that the challenge for the fitout was building studio spaces that enhanced \u201cRNZ\u2019s strengths in audio-first media production\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the studio spaces have been designed to minimise sound leakages and shaped to provide the best acoustic properties for recording. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis means isolating the spaces with raised floors, double-layered walls, and ceilings to insulate them from noise elsewhere. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor our music studio, we are including a lightweight concrete floor isolated from the main structure, ensuring sound created in that space is as contained as it can be.\u201d<\/p>\n
RNZ’s level 7 features two main studios, an open-plan workspace and reception, according to early design plans.<\/p>\n
Bullen said RNZ\u2019s project team had undertaken a \u201cvalue engineering process to identify areas of savings for the project prior to any work starting and is committed to delivering value for money for the project\u201d. <\/p>\n
An RNZ spokeswoman confirmed the process had delayed the start of the process. \u201cThe move in will be staggered and we are still aiming to commence the move into the new space in the first half of 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bullen: \u201cOur focus throughout has been on how we can make sure we are providing more for our audiences by increasing our capacity in audio, and at the same time, how we can reduce other costs of the relocation process,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Level 6 features studios for podcasting, music, multimedia and Concert FM, according to early design plans.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s meant keeping existing spaces like bathrooms and kitchens where we can, limiting custom built-in furniture and reusing office equipment such as desks, chairs and even some functional studio equipment, all of which is being transferred over from Hobson St.\u201d<\/p>\n
The RNZ spokeswoman did not respond to a question about the cost of overlapping rents. She said this was a common practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act, RNZ is a lifeline utility, which means it must remain functional at all times, making it necessary to continue to lease the current premise until the new space is capable of broadcasting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are confident that the process run through the Government Electronic Tender Service that saw RNZ issue a request for proposals for the fitouts is a robust process that has ensured value for money.\u201d<\/p>\n
Public broadcasters under one roof<\/p>\n
The move to relocate into TVNZ was officially announced, after months of speculation, last December.<\/p>\n