122 | COMMUNITY All Saints Burwood: Higgs Construction T T Kim Newth Re-purposed building a community asset An indoor tree hut, made out of recycled structural timbers, is a striking feature in the children’s area. “It’s just absolutely incredible to have this facility and to see it being so well-used by the community. It changes how people dream about what they can do for themselves and others.” Young people stepping into the recently opened community building located next to All Saints Burwood church sometimes do a double-take when they recognise the building from former days as the old Foundry student bar from the University of Canterbury. “Several of them have cracked the same joke to me when they’ve walked in, saying ‘oh, it’s The Foundry without the sticky floors’,” says All Saints Burwood minister Carolyn Robertson. Plans to resurrect the former student haunt as a new, multi-purpose community facility next to the church gained momentum after a community-commissioned report highlighted the need for such a facility in a good central location for the city’s eastern suburbs, which lost many community buildings in the earthquakes. “We thought, ‘let’s use some of our insurance proceeds and fundraising to go ahead and develop on our site’,” says Carolyn, noting the project was also supported by grants from the Rātā Foundation and the Christchurch City Council. The old Foundry – originally built as a temporary student hub after the earthquakes and then later deconstructed - came up as an appealing option at the right time. Having attended events at The Foundry in the past, Carolyn knew the building and could see its potential. As an eco-church, All Saints Burwood was also keen to embrace the opportunity to repurpose an existing building to meet their needs. While The Foundry had been disassembled with future re-use in mind, the reassembly process was far from straightforward. Some of the original building materials had deteriorated and the flooring had to be completely replaced. Fortunately, the church was able to source good condition second-hand flooring from a gym at a fraction of what it would have cost to buy new flooring. Kitchenettes from a school closing down were similarly able to be repurposed for a second life. “So, it’s not just a building that’s second-hand – a lot of the elements in it are second-hand too,” Carolyn says. PXA Architects was engaged to adapt the original Warren and Mahoney design, with Higgs Construction as the project’s building partner. Led by Kris Jolly, Higgs Construction’s onsite team worked through the complex job of sorting and reassembly with precision and care to deliver the new form in line with structural standards. “There was a lot of really creative thinking needed,” Carolyn explains. “For example, the whole ventilation system was quite ugly and obtrusive. I remember asking the site foreman, ‘what would you do?’ and he had all these great ideas on getting around that. I think the final product looks much nicer than the original in many ways. “And then Paul [Wilkins] from PXA Architects figured out how to get all the spaces in that we wanted. It was lovely to watch all that creativity.” The reworked interior includes a large hall, a children’s area/therapy space, a dance studio/youth space, a meeting room and commercial kitchen facilities. An indoor tree hut, made out of recycled structural timbers, is a striking feature in the children’s area. A community consultation with local children inspired the interactive hut design. Whereas the old church hall was cold and rundown, this repurposed building is welcoming, warm, modern and functional and has a beautiful outlook over the Ōtākaro/Avon River. Open since Easter Sunday 2025, the new community facility is thriving, with the main hall proving particularly popular. “There are celebrations, events and conferences taking place here constantly. A big one is Pasifika first birthday celebrations – that has become really popular,” says Carolyn. “It’s just absolutely incredible to have this facility and to see it being so well-used by the community. It changes how people dream about what they can do for themselves and others. There was an expectation that a second-hand building would look second-hand but it doesn’t at all. It feels like a new building and is better than anything I could have ever imagined.” Proudly supporting All Saints Burwood All your earthworks needs covered: • Excavation • Siteworks • Driveways • Paving • MayfairSwimmingPools “We’re the business behind doors!” For over 45 years we have been designing & installing heat pump systems for commercial & residential applications in Canterbury. If you want a system designed & installed correctly then please contact us! Pleased to be associated with Higgs Builders on the All-Saints project SERVICING CANTERBURY FOROVER 36 Brisbane Street, Christchurch 03 366 3952 / 03 313 8014 www.hartnell.co.nz
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