Completed under Graham Price, Design Director at a previous practice

 

Taupo-nui-a-Tia College is a well-established, multi-cultural secondary school in Taupo. The Board of Trustees required the establishment of a campus-wide Master Plan which would enable the school to plan for, and accommodate a growing roll. 

 

The brief was to design and complete a 1,000m2 extension and refurbishment of the school’s gymnasium; and a new two-storey, 2,000m2 Design and Innovation Centre, which replaces the school’s three technology buildings. 

 

The design of the Innovation Centre incorporates several features that are not only  cost-effective to build but will also help to reduce the building’s long-term operating costs. The roofline and colours of the gym extension reflect the snow-capped mountains that surround the Taupo region.

 

The Design and Innovation Centre is designed around an internal atrium / break-out space, while the western facade is wrapped in a large sunscreen. The shape and woven pattern of the screen pays homage to the legendary ‘Tauponui- a-Tia’ or ‘Great Cloak’ of Tia.