Kahukura Engineering and Architecture School
Kahukura Engineering and Architecture School
| Client | Ara Institute of Canterbury |
| Location | Christchurch |
| Services | Project Planning and Management |
| Value | $34 million |
The flagship of the Campus Master Plan, the three storey, 6,500m² Kahukura marks the Southern Gateway to Ara’s redeveloped Madras Street Campus.
Kahukura is one of the greenest buildings in Canterbury. It has been constructed with visible building and sustainability techniques so that students are able to learn from the building itself. Sustainable features include 400 solar photovoltaic panels on the roof generating 40% of the building’s energy load; solar hot water; an engineered timber structural frame and linings of sustainably grown New Zealand eucalytus; toxicity-free building materials and a 50% reduction of water use in comparison with the previous facility.
Design highlights include light-filled atriums; flexible learning spaces; a central staircase incorporating informal meeting spaces; a building façade inspired by Maori cloaks and exhibition space for student artwork.
Kahukura received a Gold Award in the Education category at the 2018 New Zealand Commercial Property Awards, and was the Best in Category/Excellence Award winner in the Green Building category at the 2018 Property Council Industry Awards.