2022.02 kohinga st albans ccommunity centre

community centre

crispin schurr design architect at ccc

programme

  • 400m² floor area

  • multipurpose community hall

  • 3No meetingrooms

  • office, kitchen, ablutions

  • central deck

issues

  • poor geotechnical conditions

  • recession plane cconstraints

  • flood plain

  • multiple street frontages

  • budget

  • community operation

solutions

  • build light in timber

  • timber pile foundations sets floor level above flood plain

  • two street facades create civic presence

  • mid block pedestrian connection formed

  • prefabricated mass timber CLT /glulam

  • structural materials exposed throughout

  • embodied carbon neutral

  • durable low maintenance finishes

  • high performance heat pumps with heat exchange recovery

status

  • completed

awards

  • nz timber design awards - finalist

  • nzia national architecture award

  • niza local architecture award

Modern wooden building labeled Kohinga St Albans Community Centre with wide steps, designated disabled parking, and bike racks in front, surrounded by a paved area and small landscaped garden beds.
Empty room with wooden floors and walls, high windows, curtains, and a ceiling with white panels and embedded lights.
Modern, minimalist kitchen with white cabinets, a large kitchen island, built-in microwave and oven, a sink, and a circular ceiling light fixture. Light wood walls and sliding glass doors lead to other areas.
Front view of Kohinga St Albans Community Centre building with wooden slat facade, glass door entrance, steps, and surrounding trees with autumn leaves.
Exterior view of the Kohinga St Albans Community Centre at dusk, featuring modern wooden slats and illuminated steps.
Interior view of a modern building with light wood panel walls, two circular ventilation openings in the upper wall, large glass windows with vertical blinds, wooden flooring, and a door integrated into the wall.
A modern building with vertical wooden slats and a sign that reads 'Kohinga St Albans Community Centre' on the front.