Maidstone Sports Hub

Developed by Upper Hutt City Council, the hub consolidates multiple sports clubs across Maidstone Park into one state-of-the-art venue, offering modern, shared spaces for enhanced collaboration and use. Named by Te Atiawa, Ngāti Toa, and Ōrongomai Marae, Te Kupenga o Rongomai - ‘The Fishing Net of Rongomai’ - symbolises the hub’s role in connecting and bringing people together. The facility features a two-storey design, with a spacious indoor training turf, versatile meeting and training rooms, comprehensive changing amenities, and two expansive function rooms. These function rooms open up to a stunning, glazed grandstand, offering panoramic views over the No. 1 sports field and beyond. Te Kupenga o Rongomai's material selection prioritises durability and resilience, reflecting both the site's challenging history of misuse and antisocial behaviour, and the surrounding industrial context. Concrete, metal, and glass were chosen for their ability to endure heavy use, withstand wear, and require minimal maintenance, without compromising S&T's environmental sustainability principles. With warm walls and a warm roof for high thermal performance and airtightness, the building reduces energy demands for heating and cooling. Integrated heat recovery ventilation and air-source heat pumps power the hot water system for the Changing Rooms, minimising energy consumption. Furthermore, the building operates entirely on electricity, aligning with New Zealand’s 2050 net-zero goals.