North Harbour Hockey were required to relocate due to SH1 motorway updates. The move offered an opportunity to rationalise facilities, facilitate future growth, and meet International Hockey Federation (FIH) Global Elite standards for hosting international events.

SITE

The relocated North Harbour Hockey (NHH) facility occupies the former, underutilised Rosedale Park and grazing paddocks on Bush Road, a site previously used by Harbour BMX and Rosedale Pony Club. The new site allowed access and upgrading to an existing NHH hockey pitch across from Alexandra Stream. The redevelopment also allowed for the expansion of the NHH hockey facilities to meet the future community and international hosting needs. The new location provides multiple transportation links for regional sporting visitors.

BRIEF

The strict standards of the Global Elite international competition require sites to be orientated along a north/south axis. The Hockey facility location is bordered by Alexandra Stream to the East & Western side by Bush Road, constraining the site and requiring careful planning to accommodate four pitches, clubroom and amenities, parking spaces, safe pedestrian access and pitch irrigation services.

Due to the fluctuating number of spectators the facilities needed to incorporate temporary seating for 5000 during international competitions, and 10,000 spectators during the Commonwealth Games or World Cup events. In addition, ground floor under-croft spaces allow for future growth without disruption to the current building. This spatial agility was a key but challenging requirement of the brief.

DESIGN

The new clubroom with its distinctive bold, muscular roofline creates a central hub for athletes, spectators, and events. Split entry allows athletes access to ground floor changing facilities, while the main stairs lead to a north viewing deck for spectators. Multifunctional interior spaces are designed to adapt, enabling capacity for the club to host seminars and events.

The clubroom room building was constructed concurrently with the pitch-forming works, which required thorough construction planning to sequence the overlapping construction works. The robust concrete and block construction of the ground floor creates spacious yet utilitarian changing facilities. First floor construction includes steel portal frames to support the shaped roof, providing centreline camera and commentary positions, as well as curtainwall glazing for game play viewing.

ENVIRONMENTAL

The building is naturally ventilated with supplementary HVAC for peak temperatures and during noise restriction after 10pm. Acoustic baffles and attenuation further reduce noise spill from the building. The roof is serrated at key points with roof lights to allow for natural light, actuator-controlled windows to ventilate the building interior through a stack effect. This effect is further enhanced by room level window ventilation along each building face.

Hockey pitches require irrigation before and during hot conditions to ensure an even surface and minimise player injury from friction burns from the artificial surface. This irrigation is provided by pitch side pop up sprinklers that deliver water at a lower elevation to reduce overspray than traditional cannon irrigators, water runoff is captured and routed to the storage tanks for reuse. Rainwater is captured from the building roofs to further reduce town supply to the facility, dry ponds and treatment swales collect any additional stormwater before being dissipated into Alexandra Stream.

Ground floor under-croft spaces allow for future growth without disruption to the current building. Service plant has been located at ground level to minimise risk for maintenance with Ground Services left exposed for access.