Lyttelton Primary School

Lyttelton Primary School is a brand new two-storey school on the main street of Lyttelton, the result of a post-earthquake merger of Lyttelton Main and Lyttelton West schools.

The primary structure is a steel frame on a ground bearing slab restrained by ground anchors in the foundations. The façade is timber framed and clad with a Kingspan roof, metal cladding and commercial aluminium joinery.

The main building includes a classroom block with modern open plan classrooms on two levels, with glass partitioned learning spaces and joinery units to cater for the school environment.

The adjoining administration block includes the library and technology spaces upstairs, with the reception and staff areas on the ground floor below.

In a first for New Zealand, the separate hall is shared with the local professional theatre company – outside school hours, the hall transforms into the Lyttelton Arts Factory (LAF), with retractable seating and additional cabling infrastructure.

The site itself is on a significant slope and presented many challenges, with important historic elements including foundations and large retaining walls cutting through the hill slope. The site works included new retaining walls, steel and concrete staircases, and an asphalt hard court.

After several years spread operating from two different sites, the local community welcomed their beautiful new school with great enthusiasm.

We were delighted to be invited to also build the awesome new playground and feature seating at Lyttelton Primary School, which opened on in September 2016.