A 6,500sqm three-storey structure, Kahukura benefits from the warmth and durability of timber throughout. The primary structure combinates LVL columns and beams, steel cross-braces and in-situ concrete sheer cores and floors, with CLT structural wall panels exposed on the interior. Timber is used in balustrades, stair bleachers and joinery, imbuing the building with warmth.

The project adopted a highly innovative and integrated approach to design, costing and construction. The LVL timber frame and CLT façade panels were designed as a prefabricated and modular system. All timber elements were modelled three dimensionally to allow for accurate offsite production and the entire project was modelled in BIM 5D enabling rapid and accurate cost estimation ensuring the detailed cost plan was developed within three days of the completion of developed design. The use of timber resulted in a significant amount of carbon sequestration within the building. The timber and other material selections will age gracefully, providing Ara with a low maintenance building designed to patina gradually.

Kahukura combines thoughtful detailing, lofty day-lit spaces, and mixed-mode natural ventilation to provide a comfortable, healthy indoor environment for students and staff alike. In addition to the use of a low-carbon timber structure and CLT wall panels, sustainable principles have been embedded in the design in a myriad of ways including a high performing façade with exterior insulation and Glassfibre Reinforced Concrete (GRC) cladding. Kahukura targets the Living Building Challenge’s ​‘net zero energy-ready’. Solar photovoltaic panels and solar hot water supply up to 50% of the building’s energy and two-thirds of its hot water. The building also harvests rainwater for non-potable use. Products containing chemicals listed in the Living Building Challenge’s ​‘red list’ of toxic products are not used.