Whenuapai School Senior Campus

Designing for sustainability and resilience.

From the outset, long-term operational sustainability was at the core of the school’s planning. Early decisions were made with efficiency, resilience, and environmental responsibility in mind, ensuring the school’s future viability and functionality.

A key success is the school’s Sustainable Transport Strategy. Through active planning and stakeholder engagement, the team achieved an 80% student uptake of bus transport, cutting daily private vehicle trips from 250 to 50, reducing congestion and lowering emissions.

The use of off-site manufactured, pre-consented buildings further accelerated delivery. Covered outdoor learning areas reduce the reliance on enclosed classrooms, while the onsite gardens and hybrid kitchen support a Garden to Table program, embedding sustainability into student life.

A place of inclusion and connection

The Whenuapai School Senior Campus has been co-designed with Arohanui Special School to ensure universal accessibility and inclusivity. Step-free transitions, seamlessly integrated ramps and stairs, and intuitive circulation create an environment where all students can move freely and connect.

Outdoor spaces encourage interaction, with direct links between Arohanui School and the wider campus, fostering a sense of shared community and belonging.

Water-wise, low-impact, future-focused

With no access to public wastewater or stormwater systems, low-impact design was non-negotiable. A layered solution including previous paving, rain gardens, detention tanks, and infiltration fields, achieved hydraulic neutrality, protecting the sensitive wetland environment and erosion-prone stream.

Rainwater harvesting supports on-site irrigation, while sensor-controlled lighting minimises energy use, ensuring that efficiency is woven into daily operations.

Honouring place, people, and tikanga

From the project’s commencement, meaningful engagement with tangata whenua ensured cultural integrity was embedded at every stage of the project. Working closely with local iwi, tikanga was upheld and taonga protected.

At the entrance, three pou whenua stand as a symbol of this partnership, crafted by a local carver under the guidance of atua connected to the whenua.

Wetland restoration and tiaki in action

The project prioritised the protection and enhancement of the wetland head, which had previously deteriorated. Early planning ensured earthworks were set back to avoid hydrological disruption, while stormwater and wastewater systems were designed not only to avoid adverse effects, but to actively improve water quality beyond regulatory requirements.

In collaboration with iwi, the wetland and riparian margins were replanted using carefully selected whakapapa species. This shared commitment to kaitiakitanga and sustainability was recognised and celebrated with a dawn blessing, bringing the project full circle.

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