Te Ngaengae Pool and Fitness stands as a landmark facility for Naenae and the wider Hutt Valley. It is designed with inclusivity and sustainability at its heart and offers state-of-the-art amenities. It’s a vibrant hub for recreation, fitness and regional aquatic sports, reflecting the community’s aspirations and cultural heritage.
Delivering for diverse community needs with Te Ngaengae Pool and Fitness
Te Ngaengae Pool and Fitness has been meticulously designed for people living with disabilities. It features a 50m FINA-certified pool with two moveable bulkheads, a moveable floor, leisure and toddler pools, two hydro slides, a fitness suite and outdoor recreational spaces. From pre-schoolers to seasoned athletes, the centre accommodates for all. Accessibility was a key design focus, with features such as accessible toilets and change rooms, pool hoists, access ramps and accessible car parks to cater to people with disabilities.
New Zealand’s most sustainable aquatic centre
Te Ngaengae Pool and Fitness exemplifies innovative and sustainable design. It’s the first aquatic facility in the country to achieve the prestigious Green Star 5 rating for its design from the New Zealand Green Building Council. This accomplishment points to Hutt City Council’s (HCC) and the design team’s commitment to environmental stewardship and energy efficiency for the facility.
For a truly sustainable design and construction we:
- Repurposed more than 90% of the demolition materials, including crushed concrete and salvaged timber
- Used weather-tight insulation and adhered to high seismic standards for climate resilience
- Installed EV chargers and e-bike stand
- Made provisions for future solar energy installations
- Met rigorous environmental and energy efficiency standards
We helped the Council advance toward its goal of carbon-neutrality by 2030.
Built by, for and with the community
Te Ngaengae Pool and Fitness was developed through community collaboration. Naenae’s rich cultural narrative is woven into the facility, inspired by the story of Māui and the region’s formation. The design reflects tectonic forces, symbolising the uplifting impact of the new facility on the community.
We led the procurement strategy for the project on behalf of HCC, driven by a strong desire to give back to the local community through employment and upskilling opportunities. We incorporated a social procurement target of 80% of the work to go through local suppliers.
The Naenae community was engaged before the demolition of the existing facility, helping us understand how we could repurpose or recycle more than 90% of the recovered materials. Many recovered items were donated or retained for use in the new facility. Pool and glass tiles were donated to the public due to the memories they held. Wood was recovered and either reused in the new facility or donated to Menzshed New Zealand for repurposing. The existing pool tank was recycled and used in the construction of the new facility.
Our role on Te Ngaengae Pool and Fitness
Since 2019, we’ve been the client-side Project Manager and Engineer to Contract, supporting the HCC throughout the project lifecycle.
Key contributions include:
- Conducted Quality Risk Assessments: We refined project scope and budgets.
- Demolition and environmental Input: We planned and supported the demolition phase, achieving more than 90% material reuse and completed traffic studies.
- Procurement: We assisted with setting procurement goals and requirements.
- Lifecycle support: We provided ongoing guidance to meet the Council’s environmental and sustainability objectives.
The demolition of the existing Naenae Pool was completed in June 2022. The new facility was fully completed and operational by December 2024, with the official opening for the Naenae community held on 4 December 2024. We’re proud to have worked with HCC and the wider project team to deliver this new facility on time for the Naenae community and to have contributed to Hutt City’s long-term plan for 2024-34.
Te Ngaengae Pool and Fitness stands as a beacon of community pride, collaboration, and sustainable innovation, redefining the role of public facilities in fostering well-being.