The Youth Hub Christchurch

2025 - Stage 1

A pioneering complex to support and empower rangatahi

All young people require support from time to time, and in Aotearoa, 1 in 10 face severe adversity in many aspects of their lives including health, education, employment and housing. On top of everyday challenges, Christchurch’s rangatahi have endured the 2010-11 earthquakes, 2019 mosque shootings and the COVID-19 pandemic. These events are hard on everyone but are often crippling for young people already suffering adversity.

The Youth Hub Christchurch aims to break this cycle of adversity for local young people aged 10-25. Based in the heart of central Christchurch, The Youth Hub Christchurch will be the first of its kind in Aotearoa, connecting socially supportive organisations under one roof to deliver a holistic one-stop model of wrap-around services including: mental health, medical, education, employment, transitional housing, recreation, creativity, and social entrepreneurship. It will do this in a youth-centric and accessible environment where young people feel accepted and supported as they develop into adults with respect to their ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation and gender.

“It is exciting to have a facility that has been designed with the future of our young people in mind. It will not only provide immediate support in the health and housing space, it will also nurture education, recreation, and cultural development. It is setting our rangatahi up for long-term success.”  Leighton Evans, Rātā Foundation Chief Executive

Elevating rangatahi voices through a collaborative design process

Field Studio and The Youth Hub Trust have centred the needs and opinions of youth throughout the design process, running interviews, workshops and design hui with rangatahi from Christchurch Youth Council, Te Puna Wai, 298 Youth Health, Pacific Youth Leadership & Transformational Council, St Andrew’s College Diversity Group, Avonside Girls High School and Te Ora Hou Ōtautahi. The information gathered, along with other stakeholder information, has formed the guiding design principles and brief for the hub, and consultation is ongoing to ensure that the hub design is meeting the needs of the young people that it is for.

Design which fits carefully into its surroundings

The Gracefield Avenue residential neighbourhood, with a mixture of homes and apartments, provides a high amenity setting for the housing aspects of The Youth Hub. Fronting Salisbury Street will be the main entry to The Youth Hub, with a prominent Manaaki entrance along with a smaller art gallery [part of future stages]. The buildings are broken up in scale and the hub has substantial landscaped and planted external courtyards, especially along the internal boundaries, in keeping with the greenery of the setting.

The arts and recreation spaces form the vibrant heart of the site, with events, workshops, indoor recreation, a cafe and outdoor courtyard spaces. Stage two, currently under construction, includes the flexible Events Space - 128 m² of multi‑purpose space for youth creativity and community activity.

Further into the site are the wrap-around services, with health services, offices and workshop rooms, connected with a central atrium space and terraces. Supported housing is tucked away, furthest from the streets, offering a private sanctuary for the more vulnerable youth living there [part of completed Stage 1]. In future stages, apartments will be positioned on the Gracefield Ave street frontage to allow some autonomy from the hub and to contribute to the residential character of this street. 

“It’s been incredible to see the space come to life, and we’re especially proud to hear from our residents that they feel safe and supported.” - Youth Hub Housing Manager

The Youth Hub is more than just a building - it is a community-driven, youth-centred initiative that sets a new benchmark for sustainability, inclusivity and collaboration.

Through innovative design, strong stakeholder commitment, and extensive community involvement, the project has created a safe, inspiring and functional space that empowers young people to thrive, connect and build their futures.

This success is a reflection of the dedication of The Youth Hub Trust, architectural team, engineers, contractors, funders, volunteers and the wider community, all working together to bring this vision to life. As we continue to funraise for future stages, The Youth Hub remains a foundation for growth, creativity, and long-term impact, ensuring a lasting legacy for generations to come.

Organisations: 298 Youth Health, Christchurch Methodist Mission, Youthline, Catapult, , The Collaborative Trust, Qtopia, Community Law, City Mission, Shakti, Te Kura, People First, Nurse Maude, Voyce, Youthtown

Consultant team: Matapopore, Youth Hub Trust Chair Dame Sue Bagshaw, Powell Fenwick engineers, Pederson Read electrical engineers, Rhodes and Associates quantity surveyors, Altissimo environmental consulting, Noel Strez Architects, One Four, Lewis Bradford structural engineers

Awards: 
2025 NZ Commercial Project Awards - National Category Winner
2025 NZ Commercial Project Awards - Health Project Award - Gold
2025 Property Council Awards - Excellence in Sustainability
2025 Property Council Awards - Civic, Health and Arts - Best in Category
2025 Designers Institute NZ - Best Design Awards - Healthcare & Wellbeing - Finalist

photography: Sarah Rowlands and Naylor Love

Contact Us
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