The new multi-storey building at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology's Windermere Campus. Photo/George Novak
The new multi-storey building at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology's Windermere Campus. Photo/George Novak
A new $8.5 million addition to the Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology's Windermere campus will officially open tomorrow. The 3000 sq m building, Te Ara o Mauao, features modern, flexible learning environments for students from all subject areas. It also hosted the creative arts students, with the latest sound recordingstudios sitting alongside purpose-built art, graphics, photography and creative spaces.
"It is impressive," the institute's marketing and communications manager Meg Jones said.
Regional councillor John Cronin, a staunch supporter of the planned university campus in Tauranga's downtown, will cut the ribbon to open the "student-centred learning space".
Most of the buildings on the campus were relocatable buildings, and the plan was to replace them with permanent structures gradually.
Te Ara o Mauao represented the first stage of a four-part campus redevelopment project spanning the next 10 to 15 years to create a new campus heart. Once completed the campus heart project would link new and existing buildings and create landscaped areas for students and staff to enjoy.
Marra Construction, one of the Bay's biggest construction companies, built the $8.5 million building that was designed by architects Chow Hill and project managed by the Greenstone Group.
The site was blessed on September 23, 2015, before construction started the next day.
