Te Kura Maori o Porirua Specialist Teaching Space

Sited alongside existing standard classroom spaces, the new building offered opportunities to provide more than a single teaching space. Careful design of the new building as a stand-alone structure and the construction of simple translucent canopy roofs has created additional outdoor spaces where learning can take place beyond the classroom walls in a variety of outdoor spaces, an arrangement ideally suited to the horticulture component of the Kura syllabus.

The colour palette for the buildings has been integral to the success of the design. The playful colours used on the exterior of the new classroom help define the specialist use of the building alongside the general classroom blocks. Complementary colours of green, Resene Flourish and red Resene Hot Chile differentiate the classroom from the surrounding buildings.

The interior colour scheme is driven by both practicalities and the desire to provide a stimulating environment. The working bench surfaces are grey tone vinyls, which provide a clean neutral background for science experiments. Melteca in bright shades of reds and greens are used below the benches on the joinery and for shelving, providing a visual link to the exterior colours of the building and a more lively space. Neutral tones of Resene Bianca and Resene Travertine have been used for the interior wall and ceiling surfaces to maximise the feeling of light and openness for the interior.

Colours used: Resene Bianca, Resene Flourish, Resene Hot Chile, Resene Sapling, Resene Travertine.

Architectural Specifier and Colour Selection: Jason Parkin, BKB Team Architects
Building Contractor: Multibuild 2009 Ltd
Painting Contractor: First Choice Decorators
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2011

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