‘We need to seize the ambition’: Beca chief Amelia Linzey on shaping Auckland’s next century.
For 105 years, Beca has played a leading hand in designing and engineering some of Auckland’s most distinctive buildings and infrastructure projects – and it’s not stopping there, writes Graham Skellern
As Auckland enters a pivotal phase of renewal, the city’s future will be shaped by how well ambition is translated into coordinated tangible delivery, says Beca chief executive Amelia Linzey.
“For more than a century, Beca has been part of the fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau, we are founded and headquartered here, and we are personally invested in Auckland’s long-term success,” she says.
“Progress will require collaborative partnership – between central and local government, business, iwi and community – to connect vision with execution for the benefit of the economy, infrastructure and the environment.
“We have an opportunity to strengthen co-ordination, integrate private capital and work harder to sequence and develop programmes with greater clarity and confidence, to tackle the connected challenges of growth, infrastructure and climate adaptation.”
Linzey says projects such as the development of Wynyard Quarter show how joined-up planning and delivery can build confidence, resilience and economic momentum.
“With co-ordinated sequencing of land remediation, public spaces, commercial and residential buildings, and accessibility - like the pedestrian bridge to the Viaduct - the development shows how working together can deliver great spaces to work, live and play.”
She says the opening of the New Zealand International Convention Centre and the City Rail Link stations represent the kind of long-life civic infrastructure that shapes how the city functions for generations. “It feels like there is a lot of opportunity ahead of us, and we need to seize the ambition.”
Linzey says Auckland needs to be more assertive in representing the country on the global stage, and that takes some courage.
“Auckland’s strength is as a system enabler for New Zealand, providing an engine room to support innovation, talent attraction and investment. We have some serious assets. The Waitematā Harbour and our access to natural features is pretty impressive.
“We have solid and trusted democracy in New Zealand and it is a safe and easy place to do business. Being physically remote has become more attractive than it has for a long time.
“We need Auckland to be a vibrant city, with its social and cultural connections, to attract talent and leverage the technology opportunities such as artificial intelligence and automation that, if thoughtfully applied, will lift productivity, resilience and even inclusion to drive prosperity.
“Look how quickly we moved with the aerospace industry. Rocket Lab has become a great New Zealand success story and it’s a good example of how a new technology industry can encourage and foster innovation, create new types of services and attract talent.”
Linzey says Beca started in Auckland 105 years ago and, “We’ve been involved with the development and maintenance of many things that define and connect our city.
“The size of our team gives us the ability to do a vast array of projects. Beca’s contribution spans both the visible landmarks and the essential, often unseen water systems that keep the city functioning.
“For a sense of scope, this ranges from working with Fonterra on industrial operations and BlueScope on the electrification of the Glenbrook steel mill to transport projects such as City Rail Link, Waterview Tunnel and Northern Busway. We are also working to advance technology solutions. like systems and simulation, for the Air Force and Navy.
“Of course, we are also very proud of the more visible buildings our structural engineers have worked on – historically that includes the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and more recently the Sky Tower, NZ International Convention Centre, and our long-term work with both Auckland University and Auckland Hospital.
“Our business takes real pride in the longevity of the projects we support our clients to deliver and how they serve our communities,” Linzey says.
“We can build on that legacy and play a role in helping Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland reach its potential over the next century too, helping shape a confident future through public and private partnership, continuity and longevity.”
Beca, one of Asia Pacific’s largest independent advisory, design and engineering consultancies, last year moved its head office downtown, from Pitt St to the Wynyard Quarter.
“It was a deliberate move to connect with the innovation hub,” says Linzey.
Its new global headquarters, Te Paeroa o te Kawau, is a high-performance six Green Star building in Halsey St. Beca was involved in the planning and creation of the Wynyard Quarter since the beginning.
“It was our focus on the future that prompted our move,” says Linzey. “We wanted to create a workplace that would encourage creativity and collaboration, and help us reach our decarbonisation and sustainability goals.”
Linzey, who has a Masters degree in Geography with first-class honours from the University of Auckland, became chief executive in November 2023 and will celebrate 30 years working with Beca this year. Her previous roles included group director – advisory and chief planner.
She leads a team of more than 4300 in 24 offices – including 1300 in Auckland. Beca, founded in 1920 by Arthur Gray, has delivered projects in more than 70 countries.
Beca is an active member of the Committee for Auckland, which encourages strong civic leadership and the opportunity for business leaders to contribute to the city’s development and growth.
The committee aims to lead the drive to fulfil Auckland’s potential on the global stage, making it a chosen home to live, work and play. Linzey says: “It’s an opportunity to bring groups together, discuss new ideas and make it happen.”
She says the next big project off the rank should be revitalisation around the CRL stations, including commercial and residential development, and creating public spaces.
“I had the privilege of attending the opening of the Waitematā Station 22 years ago and I saw the change that occurred around the Britomart area as a result. The CRL will be transformational for Auckland. It will further connect with the buses and ferries and bring the whole city into downtown.
“It’s all part of Auckland growing up and what it needs to look like as it grows. World-class cities succeed when people are given genuine, well-integrated transport choices.
“CRL provides a choice, and as someone who lives in the rural fringe, I think taking a train into the city centre is a more sensible option than driving an hour and a half in a car.”
Beca is also involved with the electrification of the ferries. Auckland Transport has four electric ferries on the water, and the first receiving station at Half Moon Bay has been electrified.
“We need to protect transport corridors and support urban development. Right now, we are working with stakeholders, driving development in the CBD downtown area and making sure the transport system works well,” Linzey says.
The Downtown Carpark is set to be demolished and replaced with a mixed-use precinct of residential, offices, retail and hospitality.
Beca is collaborating with Auckland Council, Auckland Transport and iwi to unlock a transformation opportunity in the Quay St corridor, focused on place, connections and movement of people in and around the CBD.
Beca has a team working with other partners on the Auckland airport redevelopment, which includes the new domestic jet terminal that is being integrated with the existing international terminal.
The consulting firm has played a prominent hand in the Auckland University campus development. The consulting firm provided nearly all engineering services to the award-winning, eight-storey Hiwa recreation centre on Symonds St.
The recreation centre, opened in February last year, includes a swimming pool, gymnasium, indoor athletics track and courts on a constrained site, and within the first year of operation recorded around one million visits, putting it in the same league as Te Papa Museum.
The Beca team helped refurbish the category 1 heritage-listed Old Choral Hall, built in 1872, and meet seismic requirements to extend its useable life for another 50 years.
Auckland has good bones, and its success now depends on partnership and system-based thinking that translates ambition into co-ordinated delivery progress.
Beca provided the engineering services for the adaptive re-use of the existing nine-storey Arts and Education (Social Sciences) Faculty that included a soaring glass atrium, vaulted timber roof and solar photovoltaic panels.
The six Green Star building has dance and drama studios, lecture theatres, state-of-the-art teaching and study spaces, and archaeology wet labs, and won the overall Building Performance Champion title at the global CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) awards in London.
Now the Beca engineering team is deeply involved in the construction of the 13-storey Law Faculty and multi-purpose performing arts facility with retractable seating to replace the Maidment Theatre, which was demolished in 2016. This building on Wynyard St will open in 2029.
Linzey says the university is thriving and adds so much to the central city. As a next step she believes, “We have to look at connecting it with the city centre by bringing student accommodation there and lifting the vibrancy.
“I took my children to the Arts Festival this year and it’s fun to see the city when it’s full of life and colour and activity. Buskers and live shows on the street. You see that activity lift when the cruise ships are in, too.
“It’s about ensuring the city centre feels like a place you want to visit and be part of the energy. Auckland is full of potential. It has good bones, and its success now depends on partnership, continuity and system-based thinking that translates ambition into co-ordinated delivery progress,” Linzey says.
Beca is a sponsor of the Herald’s Project Auckland report.