New heart of AUT South Campus to double student numbers
South Auckland’s only university campus has been boosted with the opening of a new $56 million teaching space that will help double capacity to 3,000 full time students in the next three years.
Opened by the Rt Hon Bill English, Prime Minister, Auckland University of Technology’s new building at the heart of the South Campus is a tangible commitment to the education needs of South Auckland and beyond.
The building uses design thinking to provide a contemporary, functional environment, developed with AUT’s students in mind.
The Mana Hauora (MH) building provides 9,800m² of research, teaching and collaborative learning space. The design features a North wing with two lecture theatres and teaching spaces; connected by an atrium to a South wing of Doctoral PhD space, computer labs and offices.
The project has created a heart for the South campus and delivers on AUT’s focus of providing exceptional student opportunities and learning experiences through student-centred and innovative environments.
The Mana Hauora building forms part of AUT’s ambitious $250 million capital development programme, including an Engineering, Technology and Design precinct in the City to open in 2018; and a project at AUT’s North Campus, due to be completed in 2019.
Numerous sustainability initiatives have been included in the design, building and future proofing of MH and working in collaboration with EECA, AUT has incorporated elements that will result in annual energy savings equivalent to the energy use of 80 New Zealand households and carbon savings equivalent to taking 52 cars off our roads.