Enhancing functionality, space, and safety for a growing school roll

The Project:

Prudently considering the Five-Year Agreement (5YA) and School Investment Package (SIP) budget allocations for the school, we successfully combined the different funding sources to ensure the project’s scope aligned to permissible works within the funding rules for schools.  

The main project scope involved upgrading the administration facilities and modernising technology teaching spaces. The staffroom was redesigned to accommodate additional teacher numbers, whilst the administrative area was reconfigured to reflect a more modern layout for better flow and functionality. The art/science technology block was modernised with improvements to ventilation, storage, and accessibility, and the chemical storage area was upgraded to ensure ongoing safety compliance.

 

Our Value Add:

Our value-add to the Te Atatū Intermediate School project was evident in our problem-solving, proactive communication, and adaptability.

A key challenge was working within the existing building’s footprint which was a requirement of the funding policy, requiring creative design solutions to maximise space whilst meeting functional and aesthetic requirements.

A significant deviation occurred early in the project due to no Code of Compliance Certificate (CCC) on the existing administration building from previous building work. For our project to progress and be successful, we needed to address outstanding matters from older work to enable a new building consent to be considered by the local building authority.  This required additional consulting and management with Council and the Ministry of Education (MOE), to resolve the historical matter.

Our adaptability, strong communication and responsiveness to unforeseen and changing circumstances ensured the project stayed on track with sufficient funding despite regular and ongoing COVID-19 disruptions.