128 | COMMUNITY ACG Parnell: Form Building T T Virginia Wright School expansion to meet demand The inner-city Parnell site neighbours several heritage buildings in a mixed-use retail, commercial, residential precinct. “We’re building right up to our property boundary which affected the layout and design as we worked to make the most effective use of the space available.” ACG Parnell is one of four ACG schools in the North Island and is the top academic co-ed school in Auckland. Like all ACG schools, they’re known for their student-centred approach which focuses on the personal development and well-being of their students along with their academic progress. Established 20 years ago and enjoying steady roll growth ever since, ACG Parnell is well underway developing a new block with 12 classrooms, a drama space and staff offices to meet that demand. Property Asset Manager Charmian Pearson-Brown has been working with ACG for the last seven years. Having graduated with a Bachelor of Property degree from Auckland University and previously working as a property advisor for the Ministry of Education and asset manager for Foodstuffs, she’s pleased to be back in the education sector, she explains. “Compared to typical commercial property and construction you get a much greater sense of reward out of the projects you do knowing that they get used by and influence youth and their education.” Charmian is involved from initial feasibility studies, through design and construction, to fit out and occupation. She’s across the complexity of design considerations around the way space will be used, and the need for flexibility to manage curriculum changes, all while ensuring safety, thinking about supervision, and managing the myriad other details to be taken into account when dealing with students and their needs. The 1358 m2, five storey, new block will relieve the school of the need for temporary measures such as leasing a building down the road and juggling timetables to accommodate their roll. The inner-city Parnell site neighbours several heritage buildings in a mixed-use retail, commercial, residential precinct. “We’re building right up to our property boundary which affected the layout and design as we worked to make the most effective use of the space available. “We’re surrounded by brick heritage buildings, so Pacific Environments Architects have included a front brick façade to complement the area and the existing school building which was also built to fit in with the neighbouring heritage properties,” says Charmian. ACG Schools are part of Inspired Education, a global company who have over the last few years been working towards having a consistent design standard which this build is part of with input from the overseas design team. The result is a very clean, modern look utilising a natural colour palette. Student health is a key consideration when finishes are chosen so the design team have specified only high-quality materials with demonstrated low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds). The classrooms themselves are traditional single cell classrooms which ACG have always had. The drama space has a whole wall of flexible storage for props and costumes, and the two staff offices include built-in furniture as the most economical way to make the most of the limited space. Charmian worked closely with the design, consultants and construction team, led by MPM Projects and the main contractor Form Building and Developments. The team have overcome the challenge of having to achieve a five storey build on a corner site without crossing any property boundaries, Charmian explains. “It’s not structurally or architecturally complex but having to work from the internal site only, down a rather narrow driveway, it needed a complex methodology in terms of crane positioning and so on in order to physically build from the inside out.” It’s so far so good with the $10 million project looking ready to deliver in December which is a month ahead of their hard deadline and gives the school a headstart on the new year with classrooms ready for pupils as planned. Form is proud to again partner with ACG Parnell, ˗˘˟˜˩˘˥˜ˡ˚ ˔ Ё˩˘ʠ˦˧ˢ˥˘ˬ ˘˫˧˘ˡ˦˜ˢˡ ˪˜˧˛˜ˡ ˔ˡ ˢˣ˘˥˔˧˜ˡ˚ ˦˖˛ˢˢ˟ʡ ˊ˜˧˛ ˭˘˥ˢʠ˟ˢ˧ ˕ˢ˨ˡ˗˔˥˜˘˦ ˔ˡ˗ ˡˢ ˘˫˧˘˥ˡ˔˟ ˔˖˖˘˦˦ʟ ˢ˨˥ ˧˘˔ˠ ˜˦ ˘˫ˣ˘˥˧˟ˬ ˠ˔ˡ˔˚˜ˡ˚ ˖ˢˠˣ˟˘˫ ˟ˢ˚˜˦˧˜˖˦ʟ ˘ˡ˦˨˥˜ˡ˚ ˧˜ˠ˘˟ˬ ˗˘˟˜˩˘˥ˬ ˙ˢ˥ ˇ˘˥ˠ ʤʟ ʥʣʥʩ ˗˘˦ˣ˜˧˘ ˛˜˚˛˟ˬ ˖ˢˡ˦˧˥˔˜ˡ˘˗ ˦˜˧˘ ˖ˢˡ˗˜˧˜ˢˡ˦ʡ Auckland ʿ˘˩˘˟ ʤʟ ʤʩ ʶˢ˟˟˘˚˘ ʻ˜˟˟ ʹ˥˘˘ˠ˔ˡ˦ ʵ˔ˬ ʴ˨˖˞˟˔ˡ˗ ʤʣʤʤ P: 09 579 5079 E: ˜ˡ˙ˢʳ˙ˢ˥ˠˡ˭ʡ˖ˢʡˡ˭ Bay of Plenty ʿ˘˩˘˟ ʤʟ ʦʦ ˇˢ˧˔˥˔ ˆ˧˥˘˘˧ Mount Maunganui ʵ˔ˬ ˢ˙ ˃˟˘ˡ˧ˬ ʦʤʤʩ P: 07 574 7705 E: ˜ˡ˙ˢʳ˙ˢ˥ˠˡ˭ʡ˖ˢʡˡ˭ WWW.FORMNZ.CO.NZ PROUD TO PARTNE R WI TH ACG PARNELL
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=