Action aplenty as residents move into Otago Polytechnic’s Student Village

Otago Polytechnic’s Te Pā Tauira - Student Village was buzzing with laughter, questions and advice as the majority of its residents arrived for the start of “Move In Week” today, Monday 19 February.

2024 Te Pa Moving Day 1200X600

Roughly 90% of the 231 residents were 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 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 Megan Potiki, Executive Director Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga.

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

“Our tauira are at the heart of everything we do,” Mrs Potiki says.

“We take great care in ensuring our residents receive the support they need as they make this big step in their life journey.

“We understand that, for many residents, this is the first time they have moved out of their home environment, so we have a range of support measures in place to ensure their physical and mental wellbeing.”

A broad range of events have been organised this week to help foster a sense of camaraderie among village residents. These include barbecues, a “speed meet”, as well as a quiz, picnic and a movie night.

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.

Take a virtual tour of Te Pā Tauira - Student Village 

Published on 21 Feb 2024