118 | T T Kim Newth Block development big step forward A major redevelopment is currently underway at Tauranga Girls’ College to repair and strengthen Block J, with the project also set to revitalise the interior in line with modern teaching and learning needs. COMMUNITY Tauranga Girls’ College - C3 Construction 150 Captain Springs Road Onehunga, Auckland 1061 +64 9 634 7625 | office@allsteelservices.nz Since 1997 the Block J building has stood tall in the Tauranga Girls’ College as a symbol of education among the school’s wider community. The large three-storey block has predominantly served as the school’s main science and mathematics hub since the late 1990s. While the building bordering the Gate Pa community has been a hive of learning and activity for the school’s students and teachers, the importance of what happens within its walls has not always been visible to others. Now, an innovative redevelopment of Block J, resulting from poor weathertightness and seismic risk issues, seeks to change that as the school looks to invite exploration and learning in a new and exciting space alongside its community. A major redevelopment is currently underway to repair and strengthen Block J, with the project also set to revitalise the interior in line with modern teaching and learning needs. Built in the late 1990s, the block contains 22 teaching spaces. With the block now a building site, 10 purpose-built temporary classrooms have been put to use in the meantime. “Science and mathematics have been out of the block since April 2022, though the work didn’t finally commence until last year [2023],” observes Tumuaki | Principal Tara Kanji. “It is putting pressure on teaching and learning spaces, but we are managing it through co-share arrangements in non-contact time.” Government funding of $6 million to upgrade the block was granted in 2018. Delays due to Covid have driven up project costs, but the Ministry of Education has since topped up the budget to ensure the works can proceed. Following the green light on funding in 2018, a teaching and learning audit by Tātai Aho Rau Core Education was conducted in conjunction with Tauranga Girls’ College to explore future options for the block. “We realised there were these massive storage spaces in the building. Now that we are in a more digital era, we no longer need all this space for storing paper and handouts. Instead, we’re converting some of it into new teaching and learning spaces [to give 26 in “Now that we are in a more digital era, we no longer need all this space for storing paper and handouts. Instead, we’re converting some of it into new teaching and learning spaces.” total]. The layout also includes new break-out spaces and teacher resource rooms. “Having those break out areas will give us more flexibility. For example, senior science students working at an advanced level can be put in breakout spaces to carry on studying together while the teacher focus stays in the classroom. With open plan spaces included, we are putting in the time to properly consider how that will operate and making sure teachers understand the pedagogical differences and what it means. As well, we are also looking at our cultural narrative and working with local iwi to grow our capability in that space.” Refurbished Block J will no longer just accommodate mathematics and science classes, but also technology teaching, art and wearable art. It will include a makerspace with shared resources, such as a 3D printer. The school is excited also about a purpose built exhibition space and the ‘fit for purpose’ Māori Performing Arts studio space. Tauranga Girls’ College is delighted to have C3 Construction leading the redevelopment work on site and is meeting with their team every two weeks for updates on timelines and progress. Currently, the redevelopment is due to be completed in September 2024 (Term 4). “This is the second project that we have had the pleasure of working with C3 Construction on; they previously did another block refurbishment here [Te Manawa, the learn-
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