Manukura is a designated special character school (Year 9-13) that fosters academic and high- performance sporting excellence within a Māori context. With a growing roll, and a disjointed temporary campus, a need was highlighted for a more permanent, connected campus.

Maycroft was engaged by the Ministry of Education for the Design and Build of this new campus on Massey University’s Manawatū campus. The design of the new building has been deliberate to enable not only world class facilities for students and staff, but additionally to provide an arena that will host sporting and cultural events along with educational and health-related seminars for the wider communities.

The project involves a staged approach of enabling works, designing, and consenting (Stage 1 now completed) followed by construction and completion of remaining landscaping and civil works (Stage 2).

The campus comprises a ‘Learning Street’ with new teaching spaces, stage, and full commercial kitchen.

A large entry welcome lobby is a light filled, multi-use space with a polished concrete floor. This houses the communal dining room and can be used to accommodate large gatherings as required. The lobby connects the Learning Street to the gymnasium with two international sized, sprung timber floor netball/basketball courts as well as circuit, storage and changing rooms. Three additional external courts (one covered) and two specialised playing fields complete the sporting facilities.

The campus embraces many cultural design features including extensive use of laminated timber portal frames, particularly at the entrances, which reference the maihi of a marae. An external fin panel screen with stylised mountain graphic is symbolic of Manukura’s goal to always seek new levels of excellence.

During the design phase, Maycroft was able to assist the Ministry of Education through many feasibility and budget challenges. We also managed and influenced the wider design team in terms of our preferred solutions, programme, cost management and compliance, ensuring the build is fit for purpose.