Description:

Since 1977, Otago Boys High School has owned an outdoor education lodge on the northern side of the Mātakitaki Valley, North-West of Wānaka. Over the years, many generations of students have crafted great experiences here. However, due to the age of the lodge, it requires frequent maintenance and is unsafe for current students during the colder months. The Mātakitaki project proposes a new contemporary lodge facility that will continue the school's outdoor education legacy and provide safe and welcoming facilities for many students to come. The project embraces sustainable design by incorporating vernacular and cultural elements.The chosen site is positioned beneath the Southern Alps, near the western branch of the Mātakitaki River. Situated on the southern side of the valley, the site gains maximum sunlight throughout the year and offers panoramic views of the landscape. The isolated site is designed to be self-sufficient, utilizing solar energy and rainwater collection for a healthy and safe environment. Seismic structural elements and an engineered roof ensure resilience against natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, and heavy snow loads.Centuries ago, local Māori people relied heavily on the land for huntingand the search for valuable stones like pounamu along the West Coast. As Māori people traversed the challenging terrain, the concept of movement and migration through the land gained significance in the creation of today’s backcountry walking tracks. The notion of movement is embraced through this project by encouraging students and teachers to explore the landscape, forging their own paths around the spaces. Throughout the site, steel screens, representing native Mountain Beech Trees, serve as navigation markers, guiding the students along their journey of exploration. These screens were collaboratively designed with the students at Otago Boys High School, symbolizing the growth process of both the trees and the students throughout their secondary education.The design consists of a cluster of dwellings, featuring seven various sleeping shelters for students and teachers - aligned north for maximum solar gain. The gabion walls that guard the sheltershave rectangular breaks framing views of peaks, headwaters, and the junction of the Mātakitaki River . Each shelter is named based on the corresponding geographical feature. Students are able to drop off their gear at assigned shelters and then proceed to the main communal structures, Hauāuru and Rāwhiti Mātakitaki, located down the valley branches. Behind Rāwhiti Mātakitaki, there is an elevated stone Pātaka for food storage and a Toutou Whare for wood storage. The communal spaces include Rāwhiti and Hauāuru Mātakitaki. Rāwhiti Mātakitaki consists of a kitchen/dining area and a multi-use space with a lower quiet zone overlooking the valley.The project promotes an ongoing collaboration between the designer and students, with a focus on involving students in the construction process of the shelters, providing them with valuable skills and a unique learning experience. The Mātakitaki design proposes a new contemporary lodge facility thatembraces sustainable design, student involvement, and a living project concept, ensuring the continuation of the school's outdoor education legacy.