Student designer working with Rotorua council on new CBD seating

ROTORUA 12.06.13: Sixteen year old Rotorua secondary school student Jake Krebs started his ‘work experience’ job with Rotorua District Council (RDC) yesterday.

Jake was the winner of the recent RDC and Waiariki Woodfirst product competition to come up with a contemporary design for new wooden seating in the CBD, and won a mini iPad as part of his prize.

Now he gets to work with the council while his All Blacks’ silver fern inspired design is taken from concept to reality.

Jake’s award-winning design will be incorporated into the wooden surface of new CBD seating units, which are to be mounted on concrete bases and lit from underneath.

As part of his work experience job Jake will be working after school alongside council landscape architect Rebecca Cray and economic projects manager Nick Dallimore.

Mr Dallimore said the work experience opportunity would give Jake an understanding of Rotorua’s Urban Design Framework aimed at helping revitalise the CBD, and the chance to learn how the new seating project fitted into the bigger development picture for the city.

“Jake will be doing weekly work experience with us until the seats are manufactured and installed. The first of these will be at the Tutanekai and Pukuatua streets intersection. This prime CBD location has been selected as an initial trial for new streetscaping and for installation of the newly designed wooden seating.

“He will be further extending his work experience by also spending time with some of the other business sponsors of the project, including Daryl Church Architects and Hume Pine.

“There is even an opportunity for Jake to get a scholarship from Waiariki Institute of Technology if he decides he’s keen to pursue a career in wood manufacturing.

Mr Dallimore said Jake had impressed the design competition judges with his simple yet effective silver fern representation and his ability to clearly consider the design as part of a broader street composition.

“He is a personable and mature young man, with a passion to see his design through to completion. We’ll be capturing Jake's journey throughout this process and we’re looking forward to working with him to achieve his aspiration. I’m sure our business community and residents will also enjoy the results.”

Photo: Rotorua District Council landscape architect Rebecca Cray and student seating design winner Jake Krebs on Jake’s first day of work experience at the council.

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