Kimi Ora School
Education
Architects: TEAM Architects
Location: Wellington
completion date: 2017
Completed in October 2011 the new Ministry of Education Kimi Ora School, Wellington is a special needs school in Wellington, New Zealand for students with physical disabilities, particularly cerebal palsy. Kimi ora is Māori for "seeking well-being in health" or "to be made whole."
Kimi Ora school caters for special needs pupils of primary and secondary school age through adulthood, or ages 5 to 21; and draws pupils from the Wellington region, up to the Kapiti Coast and the Hutt Valley.
Kimi Ora School offers an holistic approach to education. Speech language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy are offered on site, on an ongoing basis and add an extra dimension to each student's education.
The school had been part of the Thorndon community for nearly 60 years before it was decided to leave the area allowing it to increase its roll. In the beginning of 2011, the new Kimi Ora Base School was opened next to existing intermediate schools in Naenae (Lower Hutt) and a satellite unit in Evans Bay (Kilbirnie). The Base School has been awarded by the NZGBC with a 5 Star Green Star NZ - Education 2009 Certified Rating all completed by eCubed Building Workshop.
In conjunction with Bell Kelly Beaumont Team Architecture, eCubed Building Workshop has been involved in this project right from the outset as ESD and Green Star advisers to the design team. The students in this school have a range of learning and behavioural needs that can be better supported in a specialised environment.
5 Star Green Star NZ Education 2009 design Certified Rating
