Te Ngaengae Pool + Fitness

Te Ngaengae Pool + Fitness is a landmark community driven project undertaken by Apollo, with a vision to revitalise the Naenae area and meet modern sustainability and design standard. Spanning over 15,800 square metres of land and featuring a 5,800 square metre build, the centre integrates innovative achitectural elements with cultural significance, designed to reflect and honour the community's heritage.

The project faced several complex challenges that required strategic solutions. These challenges included environmental factors, for example the site’s valley location meant frequent strong winds, impacting scheduling and safety. Local resource utilisation, in line with Crown Infrastructure Partners (CIP) requirements, 80% of contractors were sourced locally. While this supported the local community, it required substantial resource management and coordination. Design complexity also had a part to play in these challenges. Integrating glulam beams into a pool environment presented unique structural challenges. Transporting these beams was also challenging and had to be done at 5am to ensure minimal disruption to traffic. A final challenge that the team faced and required strategic solutions was the specialised infrastructure needs for the build. Building a pool requires meticulous infrastructure design, particularly for water treatment and structural integrity.

Te Ngaengae is on track to achieve Green Star 5, marking it as the first aquatic centre in New Zealand to potentially reach this milestone. Key sustainable features include:

• Recycle material use: 80% of demolition materials from the previous facility, including 13,000 tonnes of scrap metal and concrete were recycled or reused.
• Eco-friendly materials: Glulam, a renewable timber material, was chosen for structural elements.
• Future-ready design: The facility is solar-ready, with EV chargers in the car park, prepared for future green energy adoption.

The community’s input was foundational to the design of Te Ngaengae. Names to honour the original Māori name of Naenae, “Te Ngaengae,” the centre reflects the area’s rich heritage:

• Cultural architecture: Local Iwi, Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa, gifted the name. The building’s roof symbolises an upturned waka, while a carved “pou whenua” at the entrances stands as Tāne, God of the Forest.
• Historical touches: Community requests led to the incorporation of glulam beams, reminiscent of the old Naenae pool’s curved roof, and the hydro slide’s stair tower is a tribute to the former diving tower.
• Artistic features: Inside, the walls display "Nga Whetu" (The Stars) through a collection of woven starts, alongside traditional weaving patterns in the changing rooms and pillar designs inspired by Ara Moana.

Apollo worked closely with the Hutt City Council, achieving a collaborative relationship that strengthened project outcomes. With AECON’s high standards as the client-side project manager, the team adapted to ensure safety and maintain strong relationships with subcontractors, who were treated as an integral part of the family on site. Through local employments, training opportunities, and meaningful cultural connections, Te Ngaengae pools stand as a testament to community-led design and sustainable development.