Action aplenty as residents move into Te Pā Tauira

Te Pā Tauira - Student Village was abuzz with laughter, questions and advice as the majority of its residents arrived for the start of “Move In Week” today, Monday 13 February.

Roughly 90% of the 231 residents are expected to arrive today at Te Pā Tauira. The remainder are set to move in later this week before they begin study at Otago Polytechnic|Te Pūkenga.

“Te Pā Tauira is relatively small and, because of that, it’s easy to meet and make new friends, and feel a real sense of community and belonging from day one” says Max Sims, Director of Accommodation, Otago Polytechnic|Te Pūkenga.

“It also means our management team and village kaimahi interact closely with residents.”

As an example, Otago Polytechnic|Te Pūkenga Executive Director Jase Tibble was at the village’s ground floor recreation room this morning, helping hand out T-shirts to new residents.

“Our tauira are at the centre of everything we do,” Jase says.

“We understand that, for many residents, this is the first time they have moved out of their home environment, so we take great care and pride in ensuring our residents receive the support they need as they make this big step in their life journey.

“We have a range of support measures in place to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of our residents,” Jase says.

A broad range of events have been organised this week to help foster a sense of camaraderie among village residents. These include a barbecue tonight, lawn games and a “speed meet” tomorrow, as well as a relationship workshop, quiz, picnic and an Amazing Race-type event later in the week.

Offering a mixture of dorm rooms, studios and apartments and just a short walk from campus and Dunedin’s city centre, Te Pā Tauira opened in 2018.

At 6000sq m, the $22 million Te Pā Tauira is the largest timber-framed structured building by height and volume in New Zealand. Its innovative, sustainability-focused design has earned it a range of architectural and construction industry awards.