Community open day at Tauranga Campus

The University of Waikato is holding an open day for the community to come explore the Tauranga campus. Photos: University of Waikato

The University of Waikato are holding a Community Day at their Tauranga Campus on Saturday May 11 from 10am – 2pm.

The doors to the brand new Durham St campus will be opened for the community to come in and have a look around.

There will be guided tours every hour, food trucks on site, entertainment and giveaways.

The $60 million Tauranga campus officially opened in April with University of Waikato Chancellor the Rt Hon James Bolger and key staff and stakeholders gathering in Tauranga for a ribbon-untying ceremony.

Rt Hon James Bolger with key staff and stakeholders untying the ribbon to officially open the new campus

The new campus, led by the University of Waikato on behalf of the Bay of Plenty Tertiary Partnership, enhances the range of qualifications and study options available to students in the Bay of Plenty.

"The narrative that inspired the building façade is the mangopare or hammerhead shark, which is a symbol of resilience and tenacity,” says Neil Martin, Architect and Principal at Jasmax.

Neil says they were delighted to deliver this aspirational project for Tauranga and Bay of Plenty communities.

"The ridgebeam kowhaiwhai pattern of Ngai Tamarawaho's Huria marae references the sweeping motion of the mangopare.

"The building's façade filters the environment, informed by the geometries of the mangopare skin. The engagement with Ngai Tamarawaho also informed the landscape design, the interior design and the development of cultural artwork with local artists.”

Mana whenua engagement with Ngai Tamarawaho was instrumental in informing the design brief, and has been integrated into the design process from early concepts.

So far in 2019, over 900 individual students are using the new campus, a 32 per cent increase on the same time last year.

There are 31 general staff in Tauranga: 50 academic staff, and 36 academics visiting regularly from the Hamilton Campus.

The campus development has been made possible through the support and drive of the region, especially the key funders: Tauranga City Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust.

The public is invited to come and explore the new Tauranga Campus.

When: Community Open Day, Saturday May 11, 10am - 2pm.

Location: University of Waikato, Tauranga, Durham Street, Tauranga.

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