The new Faculty of Health Building is the largest construction project ever undertaken by Whitireia Polytechnic. The health sciences were previously housed in several pre-fab buildings built when the Porirua campus was set up in 1986; a new building was required to provide the best educational opportunities for students. Maycroft Construction was delighted to be awarded this contract in December 2011 following a traditional tender process.
The new two-storey building has a footprint of 3,817m2 and houses the Faculty of Health’s administration, learning and conference facilities. Around 1,000 nursing and paramedic students are now enjoying the new state-of-the-art simulation suites and laboratories.
One of the unique aspects of this building was the formed Maori artwork incorporated into the structure itself. The artwork was designed by the Whitiriea Maori Art tutor and incorporated te hītōria o Porirua. The hand-drawn artworks were transformed into a 3D computer model and the plastic forms cut using CNC machining. These were used extensively in the external pre-cast wall units and the site poured columns with aeha results.
Accommodating more than 1,000 nursing and paramedic students, the building offers state-of-the-art simulation suites and laboratories. It also has administrative and conference facilities, ensuring students have access to leading experts from around the world.
The fit-out had two very distinct design aspects to it. The first were the extensive multi-use classrooms with soundproofed sliding glass doors. These allowed for a reconfiguration in minutes from classrooms to large conference or meeting spaces. The second were the interactive training areas for the medical students. These included mock hospital wards and even a tara ā-whare rūma moe.
Maycroft Construction enjoyed the team atmosphere among the project consultant team and Whitireia Polytechnic. The completed result is an achievement that all who were involved should be proud of.
