Check out this great new project between Unitec, Kidscan and Strachan Group Architects

Kidscan Charitable Trust aim to assist in meeting the basic physical and nutritional
needs of thousands of financially disadvantaged NZ children. The trust has put forward
a suggestion of a project to design and build a family beach house for a site at
Matarangi for sale by auction. Funds/profits are to go to Kidscan Charitable Trust.

Unitec School of Architecture is one of the three architectural schools in New Zealand
to offer an internationally accredited course of study leading to professional registration
as an architect. Together with academic and design content, projects also involve
students in the actual construction of projects. As head of school Tony van Raat
asserts, "we find that all construction projects develop social and community skills as
well as an appreciation of the act of building".

Strachan Group Architects are an award-winning NZIA practice producing architecture
with a strong focus on landscape and climate-responsive buildings together with a
search for a more sustainable architecture. Dave Strachan, SGA principal also has a
role as a part-time tutor at Unitec, and after a discussion with friend and colleague John
Cocks (Cocksy), felt that perhaps Kidscan, SGA and Unitec could collaborate on this
project.

A suggested group of 16 students (4 teams of four) from the 4th year
(now Master of Architecture programme) would be involved in the design,
documentation and construction of the house, together with members of the SGA team,
Cocksy, and selected sub-trades. One member of each group would be responsible for
documenting overall project for presentation during crit week/year-end exhibition and
possible digital/web-based use to promote Unitec.

The project offers potential for a documentary-type programme (eg
Touchdown's "My House My Castle") to "follow" the project through all the phases. With
existing links between TV and Kidscan, Brenda and John Cocks and industry partners
(eg Carters) good opportunities exist for pre-marketing and promoting the house for
sale. Industry partners (materials supplied gratis or heavily discounted) are more likely
to be attracted to a project with a media profile.

Relocatable/module/pod design. Due to the readily available material supply partners,
TV/marketing crews and the student group locality being in Auckland, a suggestion is
that perhaps up to 4 individual modules would be constructed in the Unitec campus at
Mt Albert for later road transport and final siting and connection to services at
Matarangi.

PROGRAMME PHASES
1. Site analysis/brief development
2. Research
3. Concept design
4. Present design/develop design
5. Documentation for council approvals
6. Build 1 phase (Auckland)
7. Build 2 phase (Matarangi)
8. Marketing/selling

Concept And Development Images:

Construction Photos: