Making way for a new school of thought: embracing innovative learning in a safe and resilient environment
Developing a plan
Koru School was originally constructed in the 1990’s and, at the time of project inception, was suffering from extensive weathertightness issues.
We were contracted to manage the full remediation of the school which included a new 30 classroom block, administration, library, hall, site works and landscaping. We played an instrumental part in the adoption of a comprehensive master plan. We also identified the necessary enabling works, and developed a complex timeline and staging plan that allowed significant construction works to take place in an operational school.
Addressing the heart of the matter
As the project unfolded, it became clear that the original project scope did not in fact address the real issues being faced by the school and Ministry – the need to shift to new Innovative Learning Environments. To overcome this, we convened and ran a series of workshops with the school, Ministry and project team in order to understand and document key issues. As a result, the scope of the project went from remediation to a complete rebuild, with the added complexity of having to keep the existing school operational while the new school was constructed.
Points of interest
- The project was undertaken in three distinct stages which were specifically programmed to allow decanting/relocation on site to take place over a school holiday period.
- The Innovative Learning Environment spaces are some of the largest in the country, with 8 classroom equivalent sized spaces working together.
- Supporting the adoption of new ways of teaching and learning in Innovative Learning Environments has been, and remains, a priority for school leaders, trustees and other key members of the school community.
