Asia & The Gulf Commercial Design Trends Asia Commercial Design Vol. 30/9 | Page 50

Project
MIT Manukau Campus and
Transport Interchange

Location:
Manukau, Auckland

Architect:
Warren and Mahoney

RIGHT ON TRACK
This tertiary campus straddles a railway line, seamlessly linking
a new business school with a transport interchange

Modern tertiary education is a far cry from
the ivory towers of the past. Not only has the whole
concept of an elitist education been turned on
its head in recent years, but tertiary facilities are
actively merging with the community to remove
barriers and encourage participation.
The Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) takes
this one step further with the opening of the new
20,000m2 Manukau Campus to accommodate
the Faculty of Business and IT and the School
of Distribution and Logistics. The campus is fully
integrated with Auckland Transport’s new Manukau
railway station and bus interchange.

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Architect Blair Johnston of Warren and Mahoney
says the combination of education and transport
facilities is unique within New Zealand.
“The focus has centred on producing the best
possible learning environment while also bringing
commuters and the people of Manukau City into
the heart of MIT, exposing its programmes to the
widest possible audience,” he says.
“The project is aimed at improved educational
outcomes in Manukau, which statistically has a
tertiary education uptake rate that is only about half
that of the rest of the country. By identifying and
removing barriers and thresholds, we have made

Preceding pages and below:
An exposed white diagrid defines
the exterior of the new MIT
Manukau Campus and Transport
Interchange. The diagrid
references traditional weaving
patterns, while the triangular
forms on the canopy present
a similar motif in timber that
carries through to the interior.
Right:Stairs crisscross the
atrium linking all six levels and
helping to animate the student
facilities.