Keywords
Community hub, equity, diversity and inclusion, student success, co-located services, indigenous knowledge, library space, architecture
Description
Te Puna is the central hub for ākonga (learners) and kaimahi (staff) at Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka - Unitec campus at Mt Albert, Auckland, New Zealand. “Puna” means spring, and the student hub has been designed to celebrate the Wairaka stream and its spring – Te Wai Unuroa o Wairaka. The spring remains alive on campus to this day, serving not only as an important cultural landmark, but also as a metaphor for holistic wellbeing - physical, spiritual and mental nourishment for our ākonga. Te Puna as a space exemplifies a multi-purpose, co-located services model situated at the heart of the campus. It houses a plethora of services and resources, including the library and other “Student Success” services such as Māori, Pacific, disability services, Ask Me desk, counselling, support drop-in (IT helpdesk, career, security and learning advisors), enrolment, international, scholarships and student support. Additionally, it features collaborative learning classrooms, food vendors, events and student kitchen. Te Puna won the Auckland Architecture awards in 2018 for its innovative and modern development of a community hub. The building’s interior brings in the elements of sustainability and stunning architectural design that encompasses inclusive space for all akonga. Over the years, the resilient library and student services teams have partnered with the maintenance team to work through some new building concerns. The outcomes have been positive, resulting in an eco-friendlier environment with efficient use of space for a modern library and a functional community hub for the campus. Guided by Unitec’s Te Noho Kotahitanga values, Te Puna plays an important role in fostering cultural and social belonging, catering to the diverse community of kaimahi and ākonga. The uniqueness of our special collections, Te Kohinga Māori and Pacific Collection, the use of Māori subject headings (Ngā Upoko Tukutuku) and Māori and Pacific specialist staff are effective examples of sustainable practices that ensure we continue to embed indigenous knowledge into our services and delivery.
Weaving space, knowledge and community together: Embracing equity, diversity and inclusion at Unitec Library
Te Puna is the central hub for ākonga (learners) and kaimahi (staff) at Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka - Unitec campus at Mt Albert, Auckland, New Zealand. “Puna” means spring, and the student hub has been designed to celebrate the Wairaka stream and its spring – Te Wai Unuroa o Wairaka. The spring remains alive on campus to this day, serving not only as an important cultural landmark, but also as a metaphor for holistic wellbeing - physical, spiritual and mental nourishment for our ākonga. Te Puna as a space exemplifies a multi-purpose, co-located services model situated at the heart of the campus. It houses a plethora of services and resources, including the library and other “Student Success” services such as Māori, Pacific, disability services, Ask Me desk, counselling, support drop-in (IT helpdesk, career, security and learning advisors), enrolment, international, scholarships and student support. Additionally, it features collaborative learning classrooms, food vendors, events and student kitchen. Te Puna won the Auckland Architecture awards in 2018 for its innovative and modern development of a community hub. The building’s interior brings in the elements of sustainability and stunning architectural design that encompasses inclusive space for all akonga. Over the years, the resilient library and student services teams have partnered with the maintenance team to work through some new building concerns. The outcomes have been positive, resulting in an eco-friendlier environment with efficient use of space for a modern library and a functional community hub for the campus. Guided by Unitec’s Te Noho Kotahitanga values, Te Puna plays an important role in fostering cultural and social belonging, catering to the diverse community of kaimahi and ākonga. The uniqueness of our special collections, Te Kohinga Māori and Pacific Collection, the use of Māori subject headings (Ngā Upoko Tukutuku) and Māori and Pacific specialist staff are effective examples of sustainable practices that ensure we continue to embed indigenous knowledge into our services and delivery.
