The overall vision for Porirua College has been to break down the institutional ‘cells and bells’ style of traditional secondary school buildings and thereby encourage greater interaction, engagement and motivation of students in an open-style learning environment.

The predominantly Maori and Pasifika culture of the school community has strongly influenced the design of the buildings and landscaping. The buildings also incorporate a number of environmentally sustainable design features, of which a major focus has been on the quality of the indoor learning environment.

Colour palettes and design motifs have been developed in collaboration with students and staff to reflect the individual ‘house’ learning communities. Weaving patterns from Tuku Tuku and Tapa have been reinterpreted to a unique cultural identity for the college.

The inspiration for the colour selection was also largely influenced by the surrounding natural environment of Porirua. The blue paint colours represent the water of the Hutt River, and Porirua Stream while the green hues are representative of the surrounding mountains and vegetation.

The colour palette is extensive with exterior panels in a system of Resene Uracryl 402 tinted to Resene Putty, Resene Triple Putty, Resene Spinnaker, Resene Midnight, Resene Green Leaf and Resene Clover. Inside Resene Zylone Sheen VOC Free tinted to Resene Wheatfield provides a subtle backdrop complemented by doors and reveals in Resene Enamacryl gloss waterborne enamel tinted to Resene Half Tuna.

Steelwork is finished in Resene Double Tuna (bracing) and Resene Aubergine (central spine). Colour is also woven into the storage units finished in a Resene ArmourCat system tinted to Resene Matisse.

Colour Selection: Abbey Middlemiss, Opus Architecture
Interior Designer: Abbey Middlemiss and Steve Meredith, Opus Architecture
Photographer: Paul McCredie
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2012

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