A new technology hub designed to encourage creative thinking and problem-solving was blessed by Ngāti Koroki Kahukura representative Harry Wilson at Cambridge Middle School on Monday morning.
Principal Daryl Gibbs opens Cambridge Middle School’s new classroom block.
Principal Daryl Gibbs said the block was unique and the only one of its kind in New Zealand.
He snipped a navy-blue ribbon to officially open the building – yet to receive its official name – at 9.45am, watched by students, teachers and staff.
“It’s fabulous,” said Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan, who attended with other invited guests including past board chair Bob White, current chair Vanessa Markwell, architect Matt Whitmarsh, ILine Construction regional projects lead Cameron Williams and Ministry of Education representatives Peter Hannam and Rob Shirlow.
They were the first to walk through the building with Ngāti Hauā representative Kahurangi Heta and her school kapa haka group, which performed at the ceremony.
“It reminds me somewhat of the experiences that we’ve been having when we’ve been looking at options around town libraries and things, the integration of all that bigger thinking, not just books, and not being constrained by the old ways of understanding of what learning spaces could look like,” O’Regan said.
“Congratulations to all and I look forward to seeing all the genius that comes from the building and the thinking that goes on in there.”
Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan walks through the new building during a blessing by Ngāti Koroki Kahukura representative Harry Wilson.
Gibbs sketched the concept for the building at Melbourne Airport on his way home from a tour of Melbourne schools.
A “design thinking” hub, its central, open-plan teaching space – equivalent to 2-3 standard classrooms in size – branches off into four learning pods.
“The concept really is that you can give the kids a problem to solve and then they can choose which pod or space they go into to fix it,” Gibbs said.
“They might design it digitally or go into a materials space and actually make it using electronics and wood or whatever. That’s why it’s called design thinking – it’s about getting that problem and then figuring out how to design something to solve it.”
Year 8 student Vinny Weinberg liked the building’s design, which features exposed metal beams and heat-absorbing concrete walls. He was looking forward to learning how to sew in the fabric technology area.
Year 7 student Sophie McFarlane thought the new space was full of creative possibilities. She particularly liked the computer lab and was planning to create a bandana for her dog, Polar, in her upcoming design thinking classes.
“I can’t wait to go in there again,” she said. “I think we will have heaps of opportunities in that building.”
Cambridge Middle School’s new classroom block.
Specialist science teacher and lab manager Jo Wright was excited about teaching in a purpose-built lab for the first time in 14 years.
It boasts three large sinks sunk into white benchtops and two sets of gas taps.
“The walls and the floor are easy clean…it’s a really nice, open, bright space,” she said.
Teacher Jo Wright is looking forward to working in the new, purpose-built science lab.
Next door is the biopod, a greenhouse area. Flooded with light thanks to clear polycarbonate roof panels, it has a polished concrete floor and central drain for easy cleaning.
It’s the favourite feature of deputy principal Bridget Watkins, “because the possibility is just incredible”.
“I can imagine hydroponics, garden to table, herbs being cooked in the kitchen, kids learning how things grow – it’s very cool,” she said.
Wright envisions students growing plants from seeds, taking cuttings, learning to graft, and raising fruit trees that could be planted around the school or community.
The third pod contains a computer lab equipped with 10 personal computers and 10 laptops.
The fourth is set up with 10 sewing machines and a laser cutter.
Cambridge Middle School principal Daryl Gibbs (right) and Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan walk through the new building as it blessed by Ngāti Koroki Kahukura representative Harry Wilson.
Woodwork and metalwork equipment is yet to be installed, and six teachers will tour Auckland schools next week for inspiration on how to make best use of the new building.
Specialist design thinking teacher Carla McCree said students were “super excited about being in such a cool new space”.
She spent hours in the school holidays erecting wall displays, stringing up fairy lights, working out where things were going, and finding homes for equipment.
“I just feel super fortunate to have the opportunity to work there,” she said. “It’s a phenomenal area.”
Design thinking teacher Carla McCree in the new computer lab.
Gibbs said it had been more than nine years since the school was last able to offer hard materials classes in a specialised space.
In an official speech before the new building was opened and blessed, he thanked board members, particularly past chair Bob White and current chair Vanessa Markwell, for “believing in my crazy idea a few years ago and working tirelessly with us to work with the ministry to ensure we got the design and funding over the line”.
“There’s been hundreds of hours of meetings to get to this point,” he said.
His voice cracked with emotion as he thanked his staff for the “many years” they had spent working in makeshift classrooms after rapid roll growth left the school six classrooms short.
“Today’s the first day since I’ve been principal that we have every student in a proper teaching space and we have the specialist spaces back,” he said.
“Thank you all for your patience as we’ve navigated this, especially my senior leadership team, who have supported me through this process.”
– Principal Daryl Gibbs gives a speech at the opening ceremony.
Former board chair Bob White, who stepped down last year, said the school’s space shortage had been “terrible”.
“We had nowhere to put kids. We had to convert all the old woodwork and metalwork rooms into classrooms – otherwise we would have had to put tents on the oval. It was that bad. It was really, really, critical, so we had to find spaces.”
He said students were “so privileged” to have the new design thinking hub, which was unique in New Zealand.
His wife Sonia said she had felt involved in the project, step by step.
“Bob slept and ate and drank it,” she said. “He would come home and talk about the design and what was going to happen and to see it visualised today is just amazing. These students are so fortunate.”
Students perform the haka
Jo Wright and Carla McCree
