Karamea Area School

Karamea, Buller

Isolated by mountain, bush and river, Karamea is a scattered rural grid – the result of varied agricultural histories. Sited on the last road north from Westport and amidst neighbouring farming properties, the existing area school buildings and infrastructure were to be demolished and reimagined.

The design strategy unfolds as a thin, integrated learning block. Needing to steer an uncertain future, grappling with geographical remoteness, limited accessibility, unique construction methods, aggressive microclimate, varied student distribution and transient population. By way of lower roll-growth numbers and student projections, the linear arrangement is able to disperse junior, middle and senior years as mutually distinct and cohesive modules, bound by operable central resource cores. Punched window coves, wet-benches, and toilets line the building’s perimeter, with senior students getting priority access to a fixed, semi-specialist space. Continuing down the line, the library serves to accommodate students’ digital connectivity to supplementary distance education.

With families often living 30km apart, the new learning block and multipurpose hall might offer greater opportunity for friendship, social engagement and community celebration.

Photography: Andy Spain

Te Kura o Karamea

Karamea, Buller

Ka noho mohoao a Karamea ki tētahi māhere tukutuku ki ngā maunga, ngāhere me te awa – te hua o te hītori o te ahuwhenua. Ka tū pōhara ngā toenga o tēnei Kura ki te mutunga o te rori, ahu raki ana mai i Westport , ki waengapū i ngā whenua pāmu. Ko te whakatau kia turakin ngā whare.

Ka hua mai te rautaki āhuahanga ki ngā pereki akoako 72 mita te roa e tarea ana te wāwāhi i nga kāhui akomanga. Ko te aronga kia hanga i tētahi taiao e pai ai te rere o ngā wāhanga katoa o te Kura me āna rauemi. Arā, ko ngā matapihi noho koro, ngā paepae wai me ngā wharepaku. Ki tētahi wahanga, ka tū tētahi whare pukapuka hei whakaemi i ngā tauira ki te āo hangarau me te wānanga ako. Ki tētahi atu wahanga, ka tū tētahi waahi whakawai kia kuhu ngā tauira ki ngā mahi āringa.

He mea ohaoha nō ngā tuanui hou me ngā pereki akoak kia whakaemi tāngata. I te mea he 30 kiromita te tawhiti o te noho a ngā whānau mai i ā rātou anō, ka tū te hanganga hou o te Kura hei waahi noho taupuhipuhi mō te pāpori.