Youth Hub Christchurch Stage 1

Te Hurihanga Ō Rangatahi – The Youth Hub is a one-stop-shop for youth health, social and support services, with a wraparound services block to accommodate more than a dozen providers and a supported housing wing. A multi-use activities court covered by a steel-framed canopy sits between the two buildings.

The wraparound services block is a three-storey engineered timber structure with a full height atrium and trafficable roof area. In addition to the timber structure, the use of timber framing, floor/roof diaphragms and bracing walls means there is a high proportion of timber in the building, with steel used only for bracing elements, lift shafts and the escape stair.

The two-storey supported housing wing is primarily standard timber framing interspersed with engineered timber elements, the only outliers being one steel and one precast concrete feature stair. Configured much like a university hall of residence, it has 23 single bed ensuite units plus shared kitchen, laundry and living spaces, a large courtyard and a rooftop terrace.

There was a fantastic culture on the job from start to finish, characterised by solutions-focused collaboration as the entire team worked together to resolve design details and enact changes on the fly. Detailed BIM modelling paired with a total station for precise measurement and record keeping led to very few clashes across hundreds of connections, while the use of safety deck systems for the floor and roof construction protected the timber finishes and made the work more efficient.

Many neighbours had strongly opposed The Youth Hub during the consenting phase and carried their sentiments over to the construction phase. Our site team worked hard to ensure the local neighbourhood was not adversely impacted by our presence, with proactive communication on everything from the ground improvement schedule, traffic management and concrete pours through to the demolition and reinstatement of shared boundary fences. Our willingness to engage with the neighbours, conducting letter drops and visiting their homes to address any concerns, helped to promote a sense of mutual respect and understanding.

We achieved an impressive 75% waste diversion from landfill over the course of the project, with some months as high as 90%. We conducted an audit of the timber waste generated during each construction phase with Tonkin + Taylor, keeping detailed records to help build a picture of timber waste through the project lifecycle for a BRANZ study. Part of this involved four rigorous physical sorting sessions, separating all the timber we collected into seven categories. The study is an important step towards improving timber waste management and reducing the amount of timber that ends up in landfill in New Zealand.

With fundraising in full swing during the build, our team took an active part in regular site tours and media engagements. We also worked with our subcontractors and suppliers to get the best possible rates for the client, with many contributing generously to ensure we delivered an outstanding facility for local youth.