BCITO - Building and Construction ITO

Tauranga Girls College

The team at Tauranga Girls College created a seat around a large willow tree at the Gate Pa Kindergarten. The seat will be used by children and for staff supervision of reading, eating and play throughout the year as the tree provides cool shade in the summer. The request of a natural wooden seat to fit in with the kindergarten’s “going natural” theme was provided by using locally grown renewable treated Pine for durability. The seat follows the natural curvature of the trunk and incorporates circular laminated beams in the design to allow for the uneven spacing of the support posts which had to be positioned to avoid disturbance of the trees root system. A section of the seat was left out to meet OSH requirements for a nearby swing set.