Whangarei Boys High School

With $50 million in funding granted by the Ministry of Education, Whangarei Boys Highschool was developed into a state of the art education facility on land gifted by iwi. The grant enabled all school buildings to be upgraded over a period of 2 years, with existing buildings being demolished once the development was complete. Funding also allowed the addition of a bridge to connect the school with State Highway 1, creating a new entranceway and the beginning of a new stage in the school’s history.

Engaged by the head contractor, Leigh’s Construction, Natural Habitats was appointed to install all softscaping elements of the school as per the design supplied by Bespoke Landscape Architects working in partnership with Matakohe and ASC Architects.

Despite the clear brief to install planting, garden edging and seed lawns, the project came with its own challenges as it commenced immediately following the country’s Alert Level 4 lockdown in 2020. The flow on effects of this delay were felt throughout the project with supply chain challenges that required strict project management and clear communication from Natural Habitats to complete installation in sync with construction.

The landscape is designed to reflect the cultural narratives of the site and showcases a plant palette that captures the essence of the Whangarei environment. Plants are therefore able to with stand not only the long, dry Northland summers, but also an active school environment where students run and play.