Mercury Bay Area School

Our commission for this work came through a design competition to provide a master plan for the school looking 10 to 20 years into the future in this growing rural town.

One of the issues identified with the existing building stock on site was the large number of dilapidated relocatable classrooms, which had been deposited at the school over many years when discarded from other schools. This resulted in a disjointed and messy site layout and poor aesthetics, but also a maintenance issue for the school as these buildings come to the end of their serviceable life.

Our proposed solution was to create new classroom blocks, with individual courtyards, for each of the various year groups. The concept of these was based around a nautical theme and the idea of ‘safe harbours’, which is how Cook and Hei before him viewed this idyllic part of the country. As an Area School, MBAS caters for years 1 – 13 students and these are split into the junior area (years 1-6) the intermediate area (years 7-8) and the senior area (years 9-13).

The first project was to build 6 new classrooms as the first stage of the new junior block, as a large influx of students at the new entrant level was expected and duly occurred. This block has recently been completed to house 10 classrooms, and as such has allowed the removal of a large number of older buildings to rationalise the site.

A new state-of-the-art technology block has also been completed for the senior students to replace the existing circa 1940’s technology block. This new block houses the hard materials workshops and support/design spaces, the food and fabric technology rooms along with hospitality space, art and graphics facilities and a computer suite.

As a result of the new technology block, the old block became available. As it was considered no longer fit for its purpose as a technology block, a new function has been found for it as a performing arts centre, a facility the school previously lacked. This now houses music, drama and dance spaces with a recording studio, theatrette and an outdoor performance amphitheatre.

Currently we are working on a new gymnasium building for the school as the roll continues to grow and the existing multi-purpose hall is no longer adequate. This facility will have a professional standard sprung floor and will be capable of accommodation a number of diverse sports.

This school is very quickly becoming the “school of choice” for the locals with up-to-date facilities which are second to none.

/Photo-Gallery/Educational/Outdoor-Spaces/Mercury-Bay-Area-School-Matahorua

/Photo-Gallery/Educational/Specialist-Spaces/Mercury-Bay-Area-School---Performing-Arts

/Photo-Gallery/Educational/Specialist-Spaces/Mercury-Bay-Area-School---Technology

/Photo-Gallery/Educational/General-Classrooms-Spaces/Mercury-Bay-Area-School---Classroom-Block