This Council-owned building is sited on a public reserve on Duck Creek Road, Stillwater, a small, seaside community with approximately 1000 residents. The building was intended to provide a meeting / entertaining / catering venue where residents can take part in activities such as fitness / hobby classes, early childhood playgroups, Scouts / Guides, Civil Defence and movie nights.

The design was required to reflect the history, culture and setting of the community, with design influences to include coastal themes, reference to Iwi, and practical considerations such as corrosion- resistance, accessibility, and inundation.

Stillwater is located at the mouth of the Weiti River, where it discharges to the Waitemata Harbour. Five spits of land have developed in the marshes here, a fragile ecosystem of silt accretions forming fingers reaching out into the river. The original design for the hall comprised a building of 5 bays, metaphorically representing 5 fingers reaching into the Stillwater community.

The use of bays in the design of the building allowed for the staged development required to meet the very limited budget. The first stage of the project comprises the 3 central bays of the final building with the future addition of bays to the eastern and western ends of the building to complete the facility.

Photography © Ross Keane