Haeata community campus: transforming open-plan learning

The philosophy of Haeata Community Campus is based around having the learner at the centre and acknowledging what they can provide, their Whakapapa, and really focusing on the individual needs of the students rather than a big class.

When the new Principal, Dr Peggy Burrows, started with Haeata Community Campus, she saw opportunities for change and had a vision of bringing more inviting spaces into the school’s design. She realised that the furniture that was being used at the time wasn’t cohesive and was being damaged, so she reached out to Furnware Business Development Manager, Ian Johnstone, for support in creating a more functional space. Her objective was to break up the learning space and give teachers and students some direction.

This project has been in progress over the last few years, beginning with the senior block. To divide the spaces, Haeata Community Campus opted to use the Align Front of Class Units. This meant that they were able to create learning spaces for each group of students by breaking up the hub. Ian designed the spaces using Furnware’s 3D app, allowing Adam to envision how the space could be broken into sections. In front of each Align Front of Class Units, they used Switch and Base Curve Tables paired with Base Couches, which gave an inviting look and feel. 

The Align Front of Class Units were able to provide storage in the spaces, which was not prioritised when the original modern learning space was designed. The teachers can store their papers and learning resources behind the whiteboard and use the lockable storage for items that need protection.  

Moving on to the junior hubs which were completed last year, Adam wanted to replicate the senior spaces with the correct sized furniture to have consistency in the hubs. A challenge arose when the units were unable to be secured to the floor due to the under-floor heating. They were able to rearrange the space and have the units secured to the walls. 

When it came to the colour palettes used in the spaces, Adam selected quite neutral tones to create a calm and natural space. Wood-look tables were paired with deep blue chairs, allowing them to use their space to bring in pops of colour. 

Teachers initially preferred using three separate, closed learning spaces along the edges of the hub, but now with the wide, open spaces that are broken up by the units, they are able to get more kids closer to the whiteboards and are enjoying teaching in the space. In the past, students had too much space which made them spread out too far from the teacher. The units have given them more direction, with the whiteboard signalling to them where the front of the classroom is.

“It was really helpful having Ian on site during the day of delivery," said Adam. "He helped direct the furniture into the correct spaces and was able to organise a quick replacement of furniture that was damaged on delivery.”

why we love the Align Front of Class Unit:

• You can use the units to create a wall to break up your space permitting a range of learning modes. 

• The storage incorporated into the unit gives teachers easy access to their teaching resources while keeping their space neat and tidy. 

• Whiteboards doubling as lockable storage serves as both a teaching tool and a safe space to keep belongings that need to be protected. 

• Available in four different colours, there is a solution to suit any learning space’s colour palette. 

• The storage options for the unit are endless! We have a whole range of combinations to fit your teaching style and the needs of your classroom.