Northcote College

Founded in 1877, this proud institution is the oldest secondary school in Auckland’s North Shore region – but over the years, the school’s growth began to exceed the capabilities of the original architecture, and a fire in 2014 further intensified the need for upgrades. A governmental fund was therefore bestowed for the school’s redevelopment, encompassing a new technology block, classroom, and sports and music areas. 

Freedom Works supplied and installed a range of architectural details for this product, focusing on safety, accessibility, and cleanliness within the school environment. Our team carried out several site visits and worked through many product variations to help the project reach code compliance and ensure that we were supplying the right solution for each area. We coordinated our services with three different clients – Naylor Love, Hills Commercial Floors, and Decker Landscapes – and prioritised consistent and clear communication to ensure all deliverables were achieved on time and to the highest degree.  

Our work began with the staircases in the north wing, atrium, south wing, and bleachers. It’s no secret that a school environment is full of distractions – bells, chatter, movement – and so we need to do all we can to prevent accidents and injuries. To this end, we installed our stair nosing on the staircase steps. For interior staircases, we used a subtle stair nosing with a solid strip of carborundum, an extremely durable and slip-proof substance in a stylish black colour. For exterior staircases, we used a more heavy-duty version of the product that was rebated into the stairs instead of surface mounted.  

As a special feature, we provided carborundum stair inserts for the bleacher stairs. These inserts had an aluminium frame anodised in black to create a neat visual effect – the kind of subtle custom touch that Freedom Works loves to offer. Additionally, to achieve our client's desired visual outcome, we had to execute many mitred joins, a tricky and time-consuming task when dealing with this material. This challenged our installation team to perform their best.  

There’s another way to reduce the chance of slips and falls, and that’s to prevent dirt and moisture from entering the environment. This is especially important for a region like Auckland which frequently has rainy days. Freedom Works achieved this by installing our Maxi Step 2 Black Entrance Matting at several key locations around the school, including the entrance, the wind lobby, and near staircases. This marine-grade carpet soaks up liquids, traps debris, and ensures a safe transition from outdoor spaces to indoor flooring. Not only does it minimise the risk of accidents, but it also ensures that the building is clean and presentable, helping maintain the quality of the environment over time.  

Next, we used our specialised tactile indicator studs to improve accessibility in the school environment. We installed these studs at the tops and bottoms of staircases to catch people’s attention and warn them of impending hazards. Not only does this improve general awareness of one’s surroundings, but it’s absolutely essential for visually impaired users who rely on these tactile cues to anticipate changes in their environment.  

For the internal staircases, we used tactile studs made of stainless steel and black carborundum, which matched the stair nosing we’d installed on the steps. On the exterior stairs, however, we opted for a bright yellow polyurethane stud, a high-visibility detail that’s well suited for the demands of external environments.  

All in all, our team finished up at Northcote College feeling certain that we’d made the environment safer by reducing the risk of slips and accidents, improved hygiene and cleanliness outcomes, and enhanced navigation and accessibility for the building’s diverse users.  

That’s what we consider a meaningful project – something that makes a real difference for the people that use the space.