Christchurch’s AMI Stadium, previously known as Lancaster Park, has been a spiritual home for over a century to New Zealand Rugby Union fans.

The stadium is dually known for being the home ground of the most successful Super Rugby team, Crusaders, and for hosting nearly 50 test matches for what is widely regarded as the greatest national Rugby Union team – the legendary All Blacks.

The stadium had the capacity to host nearly 40,000 fans during the various Rugby, Cricket, Football and Athletics events, whilst the famous venue also played host to a wide range of music artists, including Bon Jovi, Meat Loaf, Tina Turner and Billy Joel.

RMD Kwikform won the shoring design, supply and erection contract for what was one of the largest construction projects undertaken in New Zealand – the building of the stadium’s West Stand.

The project increased the Park’s capacity from 32,000 to 35,500 and the provision of an additional 24,500 seats. Much of this was in the West Stand which adjoined the existing Hadlee Stand and the recently completed DB Draught Stand that held seating for 6,750. The stand accommodated 34 new corporate suites, 1,000 Lancaster Reserve seats and 1,500 Victory Park seats, in addition to 14,000 public seats. The two new stands were then linked by a first-floor concourse that provided circulation to the whole ground.

The pre-cast concrete constructed West Stand was built by building and civil engineering contractors Fletcher Construction and Charles S Luney Limited. It curved in a wide arc around the stadium’s oval playing field and was 190 m long and 29 m high with four levels.

A number of RMD Kwikform systems were utilised on the project, including the Rapidshor shoring system, the Strongshor heavy-duty shoring system, Superslim Soldiers, Alform beams and Rapid Scaffold access scaffolding. However, the complexity of the design also made very effective use of our global engineering capability.

Strongshor, Rapidshor and Superslim Soldier shoring were, in some instances, supporting pre-cast units that weighed up to 46 tonnes.

The contract also required the construction of a large birdcage structure to support the stadium’s roof and extensive exterior scaffolding work. Such was the demand for our systems on this job that components were also being supplied from our Wellington and Auckland depots.