Te Manawa O Papamoa School
Te Manawa ō Pāpāmoa School is a brand new Years 1-6 school that opened to serve the Pāpāmoa community at the beginning of the 2022 school year. Its mission statement is “We care for, connect with, and know every learner, they are at the heart of all we do.”
Being a new school, the vision and values of Te Manawa o Pāpāmoa School are evolving, and it is crucial that the learning environments allowed for this by being open and flexible; yet still showing local curriculum links to imbue a sense of place; belonging, and ownership in Tamariki, Kaiako, and Hapu.
Play’n’Learn’s spatial and furniture designs needed to create an authentic connection with ‘our place’ (school) and ‘our community’ (hapu and wider whanau).
Play’n’Learn’s Furniture Design Principles for Te Manawa O Papamoa
1. Furniture is to be durable and fit-for-purpose.
2. Flexibility is important to allow the spaces to be multi-functional and agile.
3. Avoid fixed furniture settings where possible. If fixed furniture is unavoidable, utilise it by tying the space to a fixed routine such as karakia.
4. A mix of seated desks, standing desks, booths, bean bags, work benches & quiet working booths are to make up the Learning Centres
5. Writable surfaces are great for student creativity
6. Younger pupils, who spend a lot of their time engaged in play-based learning, benefit from a larger number of different learning zones.
After clearly understanding the stakeholder needs and vision, the Play’n’Learn design team translated these needs into design principles. These design principles were unique to Te Manawa ō Pāpāmoa, and informed every element of our decision-making; from the spatial and furniture design, to the selection of raw materials.
The end result is multi-functional learning environments that are beautiful, natural, and inspiring spaces where learners are cared for, challenged, and feel a sense of belonging, everyday.
