Hillmorton High School Gymnasium
About the Project
Leighs Construction delivered a new, purpose-built gymnasium for Hillmorton High School, providing a modern sports and recreation facility designed to support both curriculum delivery and wider community use.
Completed in October 2024 for the Ministry of Education, the project responds to the needs of one of Canterbury’s fastest-growing schools, significantly increasing indoor sports capacity while integrating teaching, health, and support spaces within a single, cohesive building.
This project marks Leighs’ fourth collaboration with Hillmorton High School over a relationship spanning more than a decade.
Ministry of Education
Client
October 2024
Completed
Christchurch
Location
The new gymnasium delivers over 2,000 square metres of flexible, high-performance space, anchored by a full-sized sprung timber sports floor capable of hosting two regulation basketball courts.
In addition to the main sports hall, the facility includes classrooms, changing and medical spaces, staff areas, and building services housed discreetly within a mezzanine plant level. Acoustic performance, durability, and ventilation were key design drivers, ensuring the building supports both sporting and teaching activities.
The surrounding works incorporate sustainable stormwater management and landscaping, reinforcing the project’s long-term environmental performance.
The project presented challenges during early substructure works, with difficult ground conditions requiring extensive dewatering and careful sequencing. Through close collaboration with consultants and subcontractors, the team successfully delivered the foundations and structure ahead of programme.
Key milestones included the installation of large-format structural steel beams, reaching weathertight status prior to winter, and the delivery of high-quality internal finishes, including acoustic wall linings and tiered seating within the main gym.
Despite early ground-related delays, the project achieved practical completion nearly four weeks ahead of the revised programme.
Health and safety performance remained a priority throughout the build, with the project completed with no lost-time injuries, reflecting Leighs’ Work Safe, Home Safe commitment.
The school community played an active role in the project, including involvement in landscaping and planting, and participation in cultural milestones such as an on-site Whakamoemiti ceremony. Construction waste was sorted and recycled off-site, and a 750 cubic metre stormwater attenuation swale was integrated into the landscape to support sustainable water management.
The Hillmorton High School Gymnasium provides a durable, high-quality facility that will support students, staff, and the wider community for years to come. Leighs is proud to have delivered a project that reflects strong collaboration, careful problem-solving, and a shared commitment to quality outcomes.
