The $40m Victoria University of Wellington student accommodation project, Te Puni Village, is located at the southern end of the university precinct on a steeply sloping site. Te Puni Village provides accommodation for 389 students in a mix of single bed dormitory rooms, one-bed studios and two bedroom apartments. In addition, it contains a fully equipped commercial kitchen, dining facilities, common areas, computer suites, laundry and study spaces - all spread over 13,500 m2.

The buildings are situated on the university's Kelburn Campus on an elevated site overlooking Wellington City. The final scheme comprised three buildings ranging from five to 11 stories (37 metres) that are linked by the communal social spaces, dining hall and administration. A concourse and 14-metre span bridge structure links the ‘Tower' and ‘Edge' buildings, with the ‘Terrace' building facing residences to the west. To suit student accommodation, the buildings were narrow at 12 metres and relatively long at up to 55 metres.

Construction was completed in a live education environment on a design and build contract basis, which involved Hawkins assuming design responsibility via novation of architect and engineering consultants to complete the design from the tendered documents. Hawkins also managed the procurement and installation of the client’s fixtures, fittings & equipment budget.

The challenging site gradient required benches to be formed through bulk excavation and soil nails and sprayed concrete to be extensively utilised to retain the newly formed walls. Large bored piles, screw piles and ground beams were then constructed to provide the building substructure.

The project integrates a world first seismic mitigation design by utilising Ringfeder spring technology that allows the building to move in a seismic event with minimal damage to structural and architectural elements. The facility comprises a structural steel frame, precast concrete flooring, timber framed external walls lined with rigid air barrier panels, aluminium windows and a Moeding clay tile facade system mounted on aluminium support frame. This project was the first in New Zealand where the Moeding product was used on this scale (7000m2).

The project also consisted of major landscaping works including plantings, raised walkways and a plaza. New car parking was also constructed, including a large section on a raised timber deck.

Te Puni Village was completed within an extremely tight 20-month construction programme (commenced 1 June 2007 with practical completion awarded 2 February 2009), which has been recognised within the Wellington market as a major achievement.