New Zealand Commercial Design Trends Series NZ Commercial Design Trends Vol. 34/02C | Page 56

some extending the lines of its internal street.
“The Centennial Building also reflects the materi-
ality of the existing campus and acknowledges the
sensitive residential environment through its modular
arrangement and scale of materials – effectively
breaking down the large building into smaller scale
elements,” says Hewlett-Diprose. “The exterior
material palette of red brick, high performance glass,
white terracotta cladding and baguettes also form a
highly durable and low maintenance envelope.”
In response to its wider surroundings, ceramic
frit glass is utilised in strategic areas to provide
privacy to residential neighbours.
And the building is as enduring in terms of looks
as it is in material durability – the former achieved
through visual simplicity and order in a design
where every element has a specific functional role.
For example, the dynamic terracotta clad fins to the
north elevation provide shading from the westerly
sun and acoustic separation between adjacent
classrooms when external windows are open. The
proud, north-facing fins also symbolise the building’s
outward looking focus.
In another instance of the building’s merger of
form and function, the mesh service gantries double
as shading for the extensive northern glazing. On
the top floor – where shading is not provided by
the modulation of floors above or service gantries –
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powder-coated aluminium louvres provide shading.
“Non-functional decoration is eschewed in favour
of sculptural strength, and concessions to current
‘design fashion’ were also avoided,” says Hewlett-
Diprose. “It is important that while the Centennial
Building is inevitably of its time, it doesn’t take on
a stylistic language that will become dated down
the track.”
In terms of internal orientation, colour has been
utilised throughout the building as a wayfinding
tool, which has proved particularly beneficial for the
younger students. Each floor has its own feature
colour, utilised in both flooring and acoustic panel
colour selection: green on the ground level, maroon
at entry level, gold on the next floor up, and blue
on the top. The carpet pattern, in particular the
extensive feature colour areas, reflect the increased
collaboration that occurs in the more informal tran-
sitional spaces.
“There is no doubt that the building has brought
our students many educational benefits,” says
headmaster Tony Sissons. “The most obvious
day-to-day benefit is the more considered, dynamic
design of teaching spaces as well as the very best
of today’s technology in terms of air flow, natural
light, and acoustic design.
“The Centennial Building has certainly created an
exceptional teaching and learning environment.”
This page Sliding doors open
the individual classrooms to less
defined spaces suited to a variety
of learning experiences that
encourage easy collaboration.
The open-plan spaces in turn
look onto the central street.
Facing page, top:Students in
the modern facility benefit from
classroom spaces with high-end
acoustics, ample natural light
and stunning outlooks.
Facing page, lower In keeping
with the classrooms, open areas
and connecting spaces, this
double-height music studio – one
of three in the building – features
sophisticated acoustics.