New Wellbeing Facility

Tinana. Hinengaro. Wairua. Whānau.

The Challenge:
To find a means of engaging Te Wānanga o Raukawa students, staff and wider whānau in all four domains of Māori Wellbeing.

The Solution:
An on-campus, state of the art facility for Māori Wellbeing that embraces the Kawa Oranga Philosophy.

The Lowdown:
Design and planning of a new wellbeing facility for IMLA is now in the advanced stages. Award winning architectural firm Tennent Brown have been working closely with the IMLA team to produce an innovative concept and unique design that embraces the values central to the ethos and kaupapa of both IMLA and Te Wānanga o Raukawa.
The design of the facility incorporates the four cornerstones of Māori Wellbeing – Tinana. Hinengaro. Wairua. Whānau. Each area is clearly defined and catered for within the overall floor plan and enhances the notion of balance as central to healthy living that is sustainable over the lifetime.
This unique environment is also based around the engagement of whānau in sustainable lifelong engagement in various rituals and practices of exercise, sport, healthy eating and lifestyle modification strategies.
The proposal for the facility has been in development since 2001 and the long wait will soon be over as the final developed plans and building details of our newest on-campus facility are finalised within the coming month and then unveiled to the public.

The facility will comprise the following features:

• 2x multiple-purpose indoor sports courts
• 1x resistance training (weight training) and cardiovascular exercise room
• 1x nutrition-based classroom with cooking and food preparation capabilities
• 1x nohopuku room for collective kawa engagement (for sports, exercise and/or lifestyle modification-based kawa), whakatau manuhiri, karakia, pre and post-sport and exercise preparation and conclusion
• 2x classrooms
• 1x facility café with a primary focus on healthy kai and inu
• Shower, changing and ablution facilities
• Staff Offices
• 1x mezzanine viewing platform overlooking the main sports court (also doubling as a warm-up area for sports teams)
• 1x exercise science lab (located within classroom) • Facility reception, car-parks and disabled user access to all areas