The Challenge
Oxford Apartments is a premium residential development in central Christchurch. Like many buildings in the city, the existing infrastructure had been severely damaged by the Canterbury earthquakes, leaving all cabling and technology systems beyond repair. A full removal and replacement was required — not just to restore what was lost, but to deliver a technology environment that met the expectations of modern, high-end apartment living.
The scope called for a complete technology overhaul across the entire building — from common area fibre risers and MATV through to bespoke AV cabling and a fully integrated building automation system within each individual apartment. The challenge was to deliver a seamless, future-ready result across a complex multi-tenancy residential environment.
The Solution
Teltrac delivered a complete technology transformation of Oxford Apartments, starting with the full removal of all earthquake-damaged cabling before installing a modern, integrated infrastructure across the building. The scope covered structured cabling, MATV, fibre, custom AV cabling, and a KNX building automation system — bringing every apartment up to a premium standard of connectivity and control.
Key Elements
- Full removal of all existing earthquake-damaged cabling throughout the building
- New MATV solution and fresh fibre cabling installed within common risers
- Structured cabling renewed throughout all apartments for seamless data and entertainment connectivity
- Custom AV cabling installed in each apartment, ready for specialist AV fit-out
- Fully automated KNX building control system installed in every apartment, providing residents with control of lighting, HVAC, blinds, and external louvres via touch panel or mobile app
Why This Solution
- Starting from scratch allowed the team to design a clean, future-ready infrastructure without the constraints or compromises of working around damaged existing systems
- Fibre cabling in common risers provides a high-capacity backbone capable of supporting the connectivity demands of all apartments simultaneously
- Pre-installing custom AV cabling in each apartment enabled specialist AV installers to complete their fit-out efficiently, without the need for additional cabling works
- KNX is a globally recognised open standard for building automation, offering residents intuitive, reliable control of their living environment and giving the building a genuine point of difference in the Christchurch residential market
- Delivering all technology disciplines under a single Teltrac project ensured full integration between systems and a consistent, high-quality result across every apartment
Installation
Teltrac managed the full technology installation across Oxford Apartments in a carefully sequenced programme — beginning with the removal of all damaged cabling before progressing through fibre, MATV, structured cabling, AV pre-wiring, and finally the KNX automation systems. Close coordination with the wider build team ensured all technology works were completed on schedule and ready for the specialist AV installers and building commissioning.
Outcome
Oxford Apartments now stands as one of Christchurch’s most technologically advanced residential developments. Residents enjoy seamless connectivity, premium AV capability, and intuitive control of their living environment through the KNX automation system — all from a touch panel or their mobile device. What began as an earthquake recovery project became an opportunity to redefine what modern apartment living looks like in New Zealand.