Campus Progress Update

After several years of conceptual and design process, it has been exciting to see the transformation of the building taking shape. The spaces that will form the new campus are in the process of being created. It’s certainly a complex process, but our contractors are doing a fantastic job of making real the vision that has been collaboratively developed with the input of both experts and Laidlaw College community members. Laidlaw’s new campus will take up two full floors and two partial floors of the 6 storey building directly adjacent to the Henderson (Waitakere Central) train station. It will include flexible study spaces, state of the art learning studios and areas for social and community engagement. Laidlaw’s library and archives will be re-housed into modern facilities, enabling effective scholarly engagement with the precious taonga stewarded by the College. Staff and postgraduate students will have dedicated working areas designed to facilitate a mix of collaboration and individual focused work. The most transformative impact is going to be being connected to the Henderson and wider West Auckland community in a totally new way!
Nigel Smith, Campus Move Project Lead



WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MOMENT?



February 2024

Staff continued unpacking and setting up across January and on 22 January welcomed our first cohort of students (Graduate Diploma Education) into their new learning space. Their welcome was incorporated into a service that dedicated the campus to the glory of God and planted dirt in the ground from our old campus to carry on the legacy. On Saturday 17 February the wider community was invited to join in the celebration of our Public Opening, beginning with a Pōwhiri. With 400-500 in attendance, we then hosted workshops, tours, and provided kai, musical entertainment and, for the kids, a bouncy castle and face painting. 



December 2023

At the end of Semester Two 2023 and after several ceremonies at 80 Central Park Dr, staff packed up their boxes and movers showed up to relocate furniture, boxes, and our library! Staff officially moved into the new building in early December and began to unpack and settle in. 



October 2023

At the end of September, staff and students were welcomed into the new building with a special commissioning ceremony. Across October, remedial work has continued and design narrative has gone up on walls, doors, and windows. Furniture and boxes have been moved from the Blaiklock corridor and back courtyard area at 80 Central Park Dr and the first of our new furniture was delivered. Students came through the almost finished building for their first look at the new campus. Just a few more weeks until staff move in!



August 2023

Levels 2 and 3 are now largely complete except for defect checking and remediation, and decorative application of the design narrative imagery that tells the story of the Bible. In Level 1, work is continuing to finish the stairs area and complete some aspects that were delayed earlier in the project. Wooden feature ceilings are now all installed, and some of the larger joinery pieces have been delivered and are in place. 



July 2023

Levels 2 and 3 are now largely complete except for defect checking and remediation, and decorative application of the design narrative imagery that tells the story of the Bible. In Level 1, work is continuing to finish the stairs area and complete some aspects that were delayed earlier in the project. Wooden feature ceilings are now all installed, and some of the larger joinery pieces have been delivered and are in place. 



May 2023

The floors in our building are starting to look and feel more like a campus and less like a construction site. Across the campus, wall finishes are being applied, lighting is being installed. Carpet is largely down across two floors and the feature ceiling ‘tree of life’ imagery is being assembled. In some of the lounge areas, kitchen cabinetry has gone in and is being finished. It’s exciting to see things coming together!



April 2023

We had the privilege of hosting special campus tours of the second floor as part of our Centenary Celebration weekend on Saturday 15 April. What a treat to be able to share a sneak preview with former staff and students.  


March 2023

The large team of subcontractors put in a truly above and beyond effort through recent weather-related disturbances to minimise damage as the building was partly open to the elements. There was some damage which will require extra work to fix, but not to our campus fitout. The timeline has been adjusted in our favour with our main relocation phase now taking place after the end of teaching delivery in semester 2. 


December 2022

Work is well underway on the new site to fit out our campus - occupying nearly 5000 square metres in the main building on 3 Smythe Road. We have stripped out much of the interior of the building, and contractors are busy installing new air-conditioning, classroom partitions, and all the infrastructure for our cafe, community spaces, digital studios, library spaces, chapel, and so much more.