The Orokonui Story
27 October, 2009 Proud event for Ecosanctuary - Otago Daily Times
by Rebecca Fox
It is a moment that has been more than two decades in the making, and for Dr Ralph Allen, Friday's opening of Orokonui Ecosanctuary's visitor and education centre will be a worthy tribute to the people who have worked on the project.
The $2.2 million environmentally sustainable centre was designed "for free" by Dunedin architect Tim Heath.
It was constructed from shipping containers linked by a glass atrium and is the latest milestone in the ecosanctuary's history, which began when the trust was formed in 1983.
Dr Allen, the Otago Natural History Trust chairman, said the craftsmanship that had gone into the building, on Blueskin Rd near Waitati, was superb, given its complex design and the diverse materials used.
"It's our cathedral in a way," Dr Allen said of the building.