SPORT WAIKATO, AVALON CAMPUS
Hamilton
Completion: 2008
The new Sport Waikato Building at the Avalon Campus works to challenge traditional modes of structures built for administration and organisational use. The building is a dynamic, fluid, transitory built form, which captures the essence of the administration roles functioned within the space. Being a ‘team hub’ that houses the many sporting organisations throughout the Waikato, the building, both internally and externally, physically portrays notions of movement, interchange, agility, speed, strength, teamwork and co-operation.
The precast concrete exterior roadside façade works as the dominant element grounding the building and giving it great ‘strength’. This expressive form then ‘contracts its muscles’ to extend and manipulate the ephemeral, agile roof form above. This precast wall also works as a solar trombe wall absorbing the solar gain throughout the day and releasing it through to the interior space within.
The interior of the building addresses the internal workings of a ‘team hub’ philosophy with a voluminous open plan layout; with more intimate and concentrated workstation clusters, shared communal spaces for meetings and seminars, and spaces dedicated to filing, resources and reprographics. All organisations which share the space, co-ordinate and co-operate with shared facilities to result in an administration hub, best designed to serve the Waikato sporting community.
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