Education Boarding Accommodation – Hawke’s Bay
Te Aute College is a secondary boarding school providing on-site accommodation for its students. As part of a hostel upgrade, the school required a practical and durable furniture solution for shared bedrooms that would look modern, stay organised, and stand up to daily use.
The Brief
The project team needed furniture that would:
- Handle high use in a boarding environment
- Work efficiently in shared rooms
- Stay within budget
- Be straightforward to install within the build programme
TW Construction and Eclipse Architecture wanted a supplier who could work with them early in the process and help turn the design ideas into furniture that would perform in real use and meet the project budget.
Coastwood’s Approach
Coastwood worked alongside the builder and architect from early design discussions through to final specification.
All cabinetry components were manufactured using Okoumé plywood, chosen for its strength and stability in high-use environments.
Products supplied:
- Custom wardrobes
- Mobile storage units
- Room divider units
- Steel-framed beds
- Steel-framed desks
The units were delivered organised and ready for installation, which helped the site team stay on schedule.
The Result
The completed bedrooms are solid, practical and built for everyday student life. The spaces feel consistent and well organised, and the furniture has proven durable under regular use.
“Communication was consistent and clear from start to finish… the clarity of documentation and the way the units arrived organised and ready for install made the process significantly smoother for us on site.”
— Sam Lee, TW Construction
“Coastwood had good ideas on how we could achieve our design objectives with practicality and budget in mind.”
— Sean Sanderson, Eclipse Architecture
“On the whole the furniture is great, sturdy, well built and so far they have held up well to the treatment of the boys.”
— Rachel Kingi, Principal, Te Aute College
If you're planning a boarding or education accommodation project, engaging early in the design phase helps ensure the furniture solution is practical, durable and aligned with your build programme.
