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New Zealand standard school buildings#Nelson Two-Storey

{{Short description|Architectural standards in New Zealand}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}}

New Zealand standard school buildings were largely developed and built in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Following the Second World War, more schools and classrooms were needed to address the pre-existing shortage and to handle the increasing school population with the subsequent baby boom. Using standard designs allowed the demand to be met while reducing construction time and costs.{{Cite web|last=Garnock-Jones|first=Alan Peter|year=1966|editor-last=McLintock|editor-first=Alexander Hare|title=Primary Schools|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/architecture-school-buildings|access-date=2021-03-29|website=An encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, 1966.|publisher=Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand|language=en}}

Primary school designs

For the most part, primary school designs varied between education boards.

Designs included:

  • Avalon{{cite web |first= John |last= Finnegan |title= Furthering the Understanding of Seismic Resilience in the Ministry of Education Buildings |url= https://www.constructing.co.nz/uploads/events/257/MoE%20CCG%20Adapting%20to%20Constructions%20Changing%20Agenda.pdf |date= 18 November 2015 |access-date= 18 July 2019}}
  • Canterbury Open-Air Veranda{{Cite thesis|last=Williams|first=Murray Noel|title=Building Yesterday's Schools: An Analysis of Educational Architectural Design as Practised by the Building Department of the Canterbury Education Board from 1916-1989|year=2014|publisher=University of Canterbury|oclc=889975505|hdl=10092/9591}}
  • Canterbury "White Lines"
  • Canterbury Education Board Unit System (CEBUS)
  • Canterbury Open-Plan
  • Dominion Basic
  • Formula

Secondary school designs

File:Building new schools 1950s.webm

In contrast to primary schools, secondary school designs were standardised nationally.

File:Mana College, Porirua GA7435 (1958) (46438867185).jpg, a Nelson Single-Storey school, in 1968]]

=Nelson Single-Storey=

The Nelson Single-Storey is characterised by its single-storey H-shaped classroom blocks with a large toilet and cloak area on one side.{{cite web|url=https://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Primary-Secondary/Property/Fixing-issues/Earthquake-resilience/Catalogue-of-Standard-Building-Types-EQR.pdf|title=Catalogue of Standard School Building Types|date=August 2013|publisher=Ministry of Education |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216085739/http://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Primary-Secondary/Property/Fixing-issues/Earthquake-resilience/Catalogue-of-Standard-Building-Types-EQR.pdf |archive-date=16 February 2016 |access-date=23 May 2019}}:31–33

Studies conducted in 1954 saw the move to separate self-contained blocks in secondary schools. The use of blocks eliminated the need for corridors and the savings in cost allowed enabled assembly halls to be constructed. The result was the Nelson Single-Storey school and the first schools of the type opened in 1957.{{cite web |url= http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/architecture-school-buildings/page-4 |title= Modern Planning -- 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand |publisher= Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date= 18 July 2019}}

Schools built to the Nelson Single-Storey plan include:

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=Nelson Two-Storey=

File:Makora College, Masterton GA9015 (1969) (46630662824).jpg, a Nelson Two-Story school, in 1969.]]

The Nelson Two-Storey is a development on the Nelson Single-Storey design and is characterised by its two-storey H-shaped classroom blocks, with stairwells at each end and a large ground-floor toilet and cloak area on one side.:115–118 The first Nelson Two-Storey schools opened in 1960, with the last schools opening in 1970.

There is also a T-shaped half version of the Nelson Two-Storey block. Often these were built as the first stage of a full block, but in some cases the second half was never built.:115–118 Examples of the half-block exist at Western Heights High School in Rotorua, and Central Southland College in Winton.

Schools built to the Nelson Two-Storey plan include:

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File:James Cook High School, Manurewa, 1968.jpg|A newly-completed Nelson Two-Storey Block at James Cook High School in January 1968.

File:Mairehau Post Primary School, Christchurch, GA7639 (1960) - 33477817798.jpg|A Nelson Two-Storey Block under construction at Mairehau High School in July 1960.

= S68 =

{{External media|topic=Scale model of Mangere College, an S68 school, showing proposed stages of construction|caption=|image1=[https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23048981 Stage 1] (admin block, first house block with hall, first arts and crafts block, library, half-size gymnasium, boiler house)|float=right|image2=[https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23100114 Stage 2] (Stage 1 + senior studies block, extensions to first house block and arts and crafts block, gymnasium extended to full size)|image3=[https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22908345 Stage 3] (Stage 2 + second house block, second gymnasium, additional extension to arts and crafts block)|image4=[https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22312083 Stage 4] (Stage 3 + third house block and auditorium)}}

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File:Rotorua Lake High School (28499629861).jpg, 1974.]]

The S68 is characterised by its single-storey classroom blocks of cinderblock or masonry construction, featuring low-pitched roofs and internal open courtyards.:43–46 The blocks are generally interconnected by covered walkways, which are also designed to carry services between the blocks. School blocks were arranged so third, fourth and fifth form students (now years 9, 10 and 11 respectively) were grouped together in a common "house" blocks while sixth and seventh form students (now years 12 and 13) were grouped into a "senior studies" block. S68 schools have a common "arts and crafts" block for visual arts and technology subjects, a standalone library (although in some schools, the library is included in one of the house blocks), a gymnasium block, and a theatre block with a 400-500 seat auditorium and specialist performing arts classrooms.{{Cite news |date=23 February 1972 |title=What is the S68? |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1972/02/23/12 |work=The Press |pages=12}}

The prototype S68 school was Porirua College, opened in 1968. The first standard S68 schools opened in 1971, with the last schools opening around 1978.

The original low-pitched roofs, skylight windows and internal gutters and downpipes of the S68 are prone to rusting and leaking, causing problems in several schools.{{Cite web |last=Hill |first=Marika |date=2010-07-05 |title=Leaking roofs hit region's schools |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/3885674/Leaking-roofs-hit-regions-schools |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=Stuff |language=en}}

Schools built to the S68 plan include:

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References

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See also

Category:Lists of schools in New Zealand

Category:1950s architecture in New Zealand

Category:1960s architecture in New Zealand

Category:1970s architecture in New Zealand