The Wintec Marae Project

Construction Advantage’s services were employed to scope, then design and build the project. Buildings had to be moved to develop the Wintec Hamilton campus. Knowing that a vibrant and functional Marae that would serve the busy city campus was needed, some feasibility work was required to ensure that of the various designs available that the one that was locked down would serve the multiple purposes the Marae would be used for. 

The chosen form blends the modern and the traditional, using the creative designs of Warren McGrath a master carver, who brought his knowledge of Maori ancestral carving to the project. Maori carvings in timber around the windows kept continuity with tradition while the carver’s unique designs were reimagined in concrete and Corten steel, which while appearing rusty, actually has a greater resistance to atmospheric weathering. The carver was not the only one thrilled with the end result. We managed the tight budget on time, even managing to get the grass to cooperate to grow before term began. 

A flagship building, the marae stands as a proud monument to creative design and the cooperation of diverse user groups, a unique focal point of the city campus.