The Pā

The University of Waikato is building an innovative and versatile new facility, The Pā, which will transform the on-campus experience for students, staff, visitors and the broader community. Construction of The Pā is currently underway and the complex will provide a new main entrance to the campus, a student hub and a new University marae.

Greenstone Group was brought on in the early stages to provide Project Management and Engineer to Contract services for the development. Greenstone Group is working with Jasmax, Architectus, Design Tribe, Wraight & Associates and Hawkins on the project.

The landmark development is based on the assumption that the campus experience for future students will involve greater emphasis on social learning and collaboration, and less on large format lectures. It is situated on 7,200m2 of land and will include a student hub, food outlets, offices and spaces for community events and conferences. 

The Wharenui is the central generating form, creating The Pā roof which reaches out to encompass a collection of new and existing spaces in one inclusive gesture. The Wharenui and Ātea combine to create a significant presence in the campus at its Eastern gateway, with the concepts of mana and manaakitanga extending further through the landscape designed for students and the community.

Progress is underway and construction started in Winter 2020. The Pā is the largest capital works project the University has undergone and will provide a good boost to the local economy by providing 500 jobs across the project team.