Project | BCN Architects

Education project

Ashburton College

Client:
Ministry of Education

Location:
Ashburton New Zealand

Delivered:
Ongoing

The redevelopment of Ashburton College marks an important milestone for both the college and its wider community. As the only state secondary school serving Years 9–13 in Ashburton and its surrounding rural areas, the campus supports a build roll of 1,450 students, with master planning in place to accommodate future growth to 1,600. The project establishes a clear long-term framework to support this expansion and the evolving needs of the township.

Beginning in 2020, a series of design workshops tested and refined the College’s brief, with close engagement across stakeholder groups to align the masterplan with changing pedagogical approaches. Stage 1 has recently been completed, delivering the 3,260m² single-storey Rangitata block with 23 teaching spaces supporting Art, Agriculture, Science, Drama and High Needs learning, alongside flexible breakout and collaboration areas. This stage also included the refurbishment of the historically significant Menorlue homestead for music, new PE changing facilities, and a campus-wide chilled water heating and cooling system replacing the former coal boiler. The upgraded infrastructure supports the Ministry of Education’s sustainability objectives and future Green Star targets, embedding environmental responsibility into the redevelopment.

BCN leads the design process, coordinating a consultant team including Powell Fenwick and Beca, and working in close collaboration with Hawkins Construction to ensure cohesive delivery across buildings and infrastructure. With the college remaining fully operational throughout construction, a carefully managed decanting and demolition strategy has been critical to maintaining continuity of learning. Future stages, currently in design, will introduce a new two-storey 5,000m² building comprising 28 general teaching spaces, administration and library facilities, a Wharenui, and refurbished technology spaces, continuing the transformation of the campus into a cohesive, future-focused learning environment.