| 59 Mayfair Pools - Taupo & Rotorua COMMUNITY New sports facility An eye for design The 1500sqm building accommodates two tennis courts and four cricket lanes. T T Virginia Wright T T Kelly Deeks Havelock North’s Hereworth School is only three years shy of its 100th anniversary, having been established as an independent school in 1927. They have seen some changes in their 97- year history, with the most recent being the move to co-education in 2023. Now, with almost 300 boys and girls from Years 0-8 on the school roll, and with interest at an all-time high, they have built a brand-new multi-sport facility to see them into the future. Finance and operations manager Phil Chandler has been an integral part of the planning and execution of this essential addition to the school grounds since 2021. “We used to have an old school hall, which would double for assemblies, and when the weather was poor the students would go in there to do sport. We received a donation to convert that into a performing arts centre, which we did in 2020. Once it was fitted out with things like lights and a sound system it wasn’t really suited to handle the robustness of the sports side of things,” explains Phil. They clearly needed a facility that was suited for sport, and in 2021 a sub-committee was formed to create a structure that would meet the needs of the school and its pupils. By the time they had finalised the design working with an architect, worked through their structural engineering needs and got the required resource consent for a building that could host up to 1000 people at one time, the build finally began in May 2023. “One thing strikes you upon entering the multi-sport facility - it’s really big,” says Phil. Bringing home four golds and one silver award from the 2024 Swimming Pool and Spa Association (SPASA) Awards of Excellence, Mayfair Pools Taupo & Rotorua - Plateau Pools and Spas is grateful for the recognition of the hard work of its team, and would like to also extend credit to the pool owners whose vision and creative input were critical components to the success of these three award-winning projects. “All of them have had an idea and it’s up to us to help them nurture their ideas into a project and a result,” says Plateau Pools and Spas owner Regan McLaren. “It’s definitely a collaboration on many levels to help bring their vision to life with our expertise.” Qualified builder and landscaper Regan and his wife Anna started Mayfair Pools Taupo & Rotorua in 2021. They have an eye for beautiful design and like to offer a stressfree swimming pool construction experience by handling every component of the design, consent, building, and landscaping process, as well as after-sales support and pool maintenance. The team prides itself on not only building high-quality pools for its clients, but also on turning unused and even unusable spaces into wonderful outdoor retreats for people to love and enjoy. This year’s winning projects exemplify this commitment to a tee. Winning Gold for Fibreglass Pool up to $120,000 and Silver for Pool Landscape Design, a pool overlooking Lake Rotorua complements an existing sauna, spa, and pilates studio to give its owner the perfect wellness retreat right in her own backyard. “The school was keen to add a more personal, welcoming touch. We wanted to create a softness to avoid the warehouse look. The most prominent quarter of the building is a board-and-batten look as opposed to the less visible three-quarters, which is Colorsteel. Along with the external lobby and decks it helps take away from the rectangular shape to make it more appealing from the outside.” The 1500sqm footprint building accommodates two tennis courts and four cricket lanes complete with nets, with the ability to host a number of other sports; including basketball and netball. The decision to become a fully co-educational school has seen the roll grow rapidly in the last few years, making more classroom space a priority. “So, in addition to the changing rooms upstairs there are two classrooms, a kitchenette, and an open function area big enough to have meetings. We’re aiming to future-proof the school in terms of roll growth as well,” says Phil. The downstairs space takes care of the physical side of their hauora (physical health) curriculum, while the upstairs classrooms cater for health and wellbeing, science, and other subjects. Curriculum aside, this building offers a great space for sports development, and the opportunity for students to safely let off steam regardless of the weather, while also giving the 50 or so boarders valuable play space after school. This building is more than an exercise in functionality though, thanks to the decision to use sustainably produced, cross-laminated timber made in Nelson. “The beams give the building a unique and imposing timber look with a really tidy finish. Sustainability has always been a key part of the concept,” says Phil. The push is on for the facility to open for term three in July, the heart of winter. Hawke’s Bay may be known for good weather but when the easterly brings winter rain having a wet weather alternative is something the whole school is looking forward to. With her design background, this client knew what she wanted and was able to communicate that freely to Regan and Anna. She wanted a seamless mirror finish and a pool landscape that was sympathetic to the natural surrounds of the property. Working in collaboration with their client and 7D Architecture, Mayfair Pools Taupo & Rotorua delivered a stylish and comfortable space that nestles effortlessly into the existing home and garden. This client gave Regan and Anna some of the best feedback they have ever received. “She said she had always associated home with work and so would feel compelled to escape to her bach on the coast in order to relax,” Anna says. “Now her new space is a sanctuary at home, and she no longer feels the need to escape to relax.” Winning Gold for Courtyard/Small Pool up to $80,000 and Gold for Pool Landscape Design, an interesting project overlooking Lake Taupo incorporated geothermal heating and in the end, a putting green alongside the pool for the ultimate recreational experience. A complex build in what had been an unused space and a steep site, Regan and Anna navigated the whole process in collaboration with the client every step of the way. Back in Taupo for the Gold award for Courtyard/Small Pool up to $40,000, Mayfair Pools Taupo & Rotorua delivered a compact plunge pool with great heating and insulation for year round use, and the clever use of steps to really elevate the pool experience. “This really showcases that a little pool can achieve a lot,” Anna says. “Part of our brief was to include somewhere for our client to pop down their glass of wine, so we measured the seating to just the right depth to make it easy to reach for another sip. Pool steps can sometimes be overlooked as a feature, but we find they can help to create different experiences for all, whether it’s having a drink in the sun, or even a little splash deck for babies to play in.” • Data Networking/BMS Design & Installation • Security, Surveillance & Access Control • Consultancy & Project Management • Commercial & Industrial Specialists Congratulations to Hereworth on your fantastic newMulti-Sport Facility. 06 876 6436 | 408 Victoria St., Hastings Commercial & Residential Electricians 03 548 2369 www.rwcanelson.co.nz Proud to support Mayfair Pools Distributors of Award Winning Naked-R Freshwater Pool Systems and proud of our association with Mayfair Pools - Taupo & Rotorua. The crystal clear breakthrough in backyard pools is FreshWater. Hereworth School
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