Hiwa Recreation Centre at University of Auckland

Project Description:

Named after Hiwa-i-te-Rangi, the youngest star in the Māori Matariki cluster (pleiades), Hiwa symbolizes aspiration, growth and ambition — fitting for this new vibrant recreation hub. The vertically stacked recreation center houses three large volumes: a 1,200-seat event sports hall, a practice sports hall and an aquatics hall, along with associated fitness and social amenities. As one rises from street level to the rooftop running track, a major program volume is encountered at each level. These venues are alternated on either side of a central fitness core to optimize engagement. The University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau is an urban campus that is fully meshed into the heart of the city. Auckland’s dramatic topography is dotted with rainforest and 53 inactive volcanic centers that make-up the Auckland volcanic field. The building is clad with stainless steel panels and matching louvers to unify the mass into a single but punctuated form. The exterior cladding seeks to dematerialize its large facades, capturing reflections of the shifting Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau weather and surrounding nature. The louvres allow dynamic views of activity, while ensuring no internal performance glare. The shaped roof of the below-grade aquatics hall creates a new student plaza above. Required clearance over the diving board forms a mound. Taumata, meaning “resting place on a hill,” is the focal point of the plaza, symbolizing Rangipuke, the name of the volcano on which the university sits. The southern glazed face of Taumata provides natural light into the aquatics hall and a viewing platform to observe the aquatics activity below.