The site is situated at the intersection of Wellington Street and Hepburn Street in Freeman Bay, one of Auckland’s earliest settled areas. Freeman Bay School is located near vibrant suburbs and newly developed urban zones. The design aims to create a modern learning center that looks forward to the future while remaining deeply connected to the community, local history, and landscape. This project introduces a new building function through BIM technology, intended to inspire and unlock the potential of local youth.
▲ General layout plan
The new multifunctional hall and administrative center face Wellington Street, connected by an entrance canopy that warmly welcomes visitors. This canopy serves as an outdoor teaching space and a covered play area. The building’s ridge line reflects traditional Maori architectural forms and mirrors the roof shapes of typical townhouses and urban homes in the surrounding neighborhoods.
▲ Plan of Multifunctional Hall and Management Center
The outdated school buildings and parking lots from the 1960s were removed to allow a road to pass under the new entrance canopy, leading to four new buildings that open onto a central courtyard. This courtyard is ideal for social interactions and outdoor learning activities. The vibrant and rich colors on the buildings represent the diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds of the children in the community.
The new learning center is located on the east side, behind the administrative building, facing northwest. This library building, situated behind the western hall, embodies the Maori concept of the “big family.” An existing learning building faces northeast. The new center offers an innovative learning environment where 80–90 children learn together in an open-plan space arranged like a “classroom.” It features a variety of building materials and construction techniques.
The flexible teaching spaces are designed to support a wide range of BIM design activities and accommodate multiple subjects and courses, meeting the needs of both the school and community groups.
Project Drawings
▲ Library floor plan
▲ First-floor plan of the learning center
▲ Second-floor plan of the learning center
▲ Elevation view
▲ Elevation view
▲ Functional zoning of the learning center
▲ Flow line analysis of the learning center
Project Information
Architectural Firm: RTA Studio
Location: Freeman Bay, Auckland, New Zealand
Category: Primary and Junior High School
Building Area: 2800 m²
Project Year: 2018
Photographer: Simon Devitt
Suppliers: Resene, APL NZ, Autex, James Hardie Company, Polyflor, GIB, Autodesk, Steel and Tube
Client: Ministry of Education
Engineer: 22 Degrees
Construction Contractor: Watts & Hughes Construction
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