Kimi Ora Base School, Naenae

Bell Kelly Beaumont Team Architects was commissioned by Kimi Ora School and the Ministry of Education to deliver a new Base School at Naenae on a green-field site adjacent to Naenae College and Naenae Intermediate.

The school provides learning and therapy spaces for 24 students aged between 5 and 20 who require specialist care. Arranged around a central sensory garden court, the layout and design of the building supports the school's philosophy to deliver student focused therapy and learning , and to provide exposure to a wide range of life skills. The exterior spaces of this school are as important as the interior spaces and act as an extension of the classrooms, therapy and gathering spaces. The Naenae facility also provides support services for the Kimi Ora Satellite Unit at Evans Bay and enables combined activities for the full Kimi Ora community to be held.

The project has been awarded a 5 Green Star New Zealand – Education 2009 Design Certified Rating, one of the first schools to achieve a Certified 5 Green star rating in New Zealand.

For more images see http://www.bkb-ta.co.nz/200_projects/404/index.html