Healthcare & Community project

Kurawaka: Waipapa Community Birthing Unit

Client:
Health New Zealand (CDHB)
Location:
Christchurch New Zealand
Delivered:
2024

The Kurawaka: Waipapa Community Birthing Unit is the culmination of fifteen years of planning to provide an alternative setting for non-complex births currently accommodated at Christchurch Women’s Hospital. Previous procurement efforts were constrained by cost, but this project successfully delivers a 2,200sqm facility comprising clinical, post-natal, and essential support spaces within a community-focused environment.

Noordanus Architects Ltd developed the design from a functional brief, refining it through close collaboration with clinical teams, midwives, mana whenua, and the Maintenance and Engineering department. Balancing these diverse perspectives was central to shaping a facility that reflects shared priorities and cultural values. With a preference to retain the existing exterior, interventions were carefully targeted, including the addition of canopies, sunshades, and privacy screens to enhance comfort, protection, and dignity for users.

Throughout construction, the architects undertook weekly site visits to respond to contractor queries and safeguard the design intent. Coordination with the client’s interior designer ensured that material selections met durability and performance requirements across more than ninety fully serviced rooms. The completed facility supports improved social outcomes for Māori, Pacifica, and migrant communities through a Te ao Māori-centred model of care, strengthening connections between people, place, and wellbeing.