Tuesday the 19th of July marked the official opening of Manawai, a new building designed by the specialist health team at McKenzie Higham Architects. The new national facility is the first of its kind in New Zealand, and provides 6 Individual Service Units to support tangata whai ora who must live in secure facilities under the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act.
Tangata whai ora who are vulnerable, cannot mix with others, and pose a risk to themselves and to staff caring for them, will be provided a new level of safety, space, light and privacy to facilitate greater rehabilitative gains. To achieve the balance of security, comfort and therapeutic environment has required numerous specialist design components and solutions.
The name of the facility was gifted by Ngāti Toa Rangatira and reflects both a local awa and the restoration of mana to the tangata whai ora whom the new building will support.
Our McKenzie Higham team was led by John MacDonald with Jacob Rhodes-Robinson and Mike Cronin. The consultant team included Clendon, Burns and Park (Structural Engineers), COR Associates (Mechanical), BlackYARD (Electrical), Pacific Consultants (Hydraulic), and Holmes (Fire). The contractor was Hawkins.