Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Local Govt | National News Video | Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Search

 

Avondale College wins National Architecture Award

Avondale College wins National Institute of Architecture Award

As one of 28 winners announced at the NZIA awards ceremony hosted on Friday 30 October, we’re extremely proud to congratulate Avondale College and the project and contractor teams, who dedicated four years to making this exciting three-stage development a success.

One of the largest school rebuilding programmes in New Zealand’s history, a study of the internal performance temperature of the classrooms within Avondale College concludes the newly built thermomass classrooms are 2.8 degrees warmer*.

Working closely with an integrated Jasmax architecture and landscape architecture team, and dedicated contractor team, the design has “Deploy[ed] the language of an urban street, the arrangement of confident buildings and courtyards, which are given texture and interest via textured concrete formwork and coloured plywood paneling, [it] must surely energise and affirm its pupils each day.” - NZIA Citation

The Board’s vision to create a modern, future-focused and cohesive campus came to fruition over a four year period.

Directly raising funds for certain initiatives within the design, the project has succeeded in creating an urban streetscape within an interconnected campus. Find out more about the design here.

Sustainable initiatives were integrated throughout the 92 new and refurbished teaching and resource spaces. Professor Bin Su of UNITEC has already completed and published a first paper on the internal temperature performance of thermomass (or heavy weight construction) in classrooms during winter. He compared heavy weight, lightweight and prefab classrooms at the school. The conclusion is that these classrooms are 2.8 degrees warmer* than the insulated light weight structure classrooms.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“A multi-stage redevelopment of a large secondary school has produced an outstanding new learning environment that meets contemporary needs while keeping continuity with the school’s particular pedagogical legacy. The school may have lost its old buildings, but it has kept its heart. This is a school designed for kids; although it retains its traditional character and classroom organisation, it is not regimented or patronising – deliberately, there is scope for random movement along its streetscapes. All spaces are treated as rooms of their own, and are pleasingly proportioned. The school is robust and purposeful; the drama of movement is especially evident in the big central courtyard funded, as were many of the school’s sustainability features, above and beyond standard Ministry of Education provisions by a Board ambitious for students’ progress in education and early life.” - NZIA Judges’ Citation

ends

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.