Te-Oro: Glenn Innes Music & Arts Centre

Public

Location: Glenn Innes

Architect: Archimedia

Completion Date: 2015


The long-held community dream of a music and arts centre for youth in Glen Innes is now a reality for the local community.

The centre provides much needed community space for young people to perform, practise and learn the arts, while expressing their creativity and talents.

The $8 million two-storey building  features:

  • a dance studio

  • music tuition and rehearsal spaces

  • visual art workshops and classrooms

  • and an auditorium that will accommodate up to 200 people.

The intention of the associated masterplan was to make Ruapotaka Reserve an ‘Eco-Precinct’. Eco-Precincts are a relatively new concept, and usually imply the development of an integrated green infrastructural approach. This could include all or a combination of green buildings, communal low/zero/positive/carbon energy supply (heating cooling and electricity), networked water supply/re-use, on-site storm-water treatment, and a multi-mode sustainable transport system. It relates strongly to ideas of self-sufficiency, annual net zero environmental impact and resilience in a resource constrained world.

Masterplan considerations included:

  • Development of the link between Glen Innes town centre and the sea.

  • Inclusion of low impact urban design and development (LIUDD) approaches to car park and streetscapes that maximise natural values, minimise sediment and pollutant run-off and impervious areas to enable restoration of the Omaru Stream’s terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity.

  • Reference to the volcanic landscape by maximizing views to Mount Wellington and potential use of volcanic materials.

  • Upgrading and reconfiguration of Maybury Reserve to improve its safety, functionality and ecology.

  • Allowance for a stormwater retention pond to treat the 1500dia stormwater line from the industrial area of Glenn Innes that discharges into the bifurcated leg of the Oamaru Stream in the Ruapotaka/Maybury Reserve.

  • Reinforcing/redeveloping the network of off-road greenways to allow safe and attractive off-road pedestrian and cycle access between strategically located landscaped schools to the town centre and its transport hub.

  • Improvement of the pedestrian and cycling environment along Line Road, particularly the angled parking and its potential hazard to cyclists.

  • Intensification of the current Glen Innes village to a mixed-use town centre and upgrading of the main street, Line Road. Future transit-oriented development.

  • Re-development of community facilities – library, community centre & marae.

  • The Res 8b rezoning of residential land enabling intensification of medium to high density housing (including town houses, terrace housing and low-rise apartments) within 5-minutes walking distance from the Glen Innes Town Centre and public transport services. Up to 4 storeys (max. 14m) and up to 1 unit per 100m2. Most of this land fronts onto the arterial roads in the area - Apirana Avenue, Line Road, Taniwha Street, and Point England Road.

  • Reference to the long history of Maori and European cultivation of the area based on its rich volcanic soils which are capable of producing abundant food. Potential establishment of a community garden adjoining the Marae and use of edible landscaping (e.g. Garden-to-Table). There are current proposals to develop community gardens in Point England Mara Kai in the Ruapotaka Marae.

Awards:

  • Designers Institute of NZ Best Design Awards - Ngā Aho Award - 2016