Following the 2023 Auckland floods, Netball North Harbour decided to expand remedial work to a full renovation of its interior, providing Kanat Studio with the opportunity to design a fresh new look for the 70-year-old sports facility in Northcote, on Auckland’s North Shore.

Immediately inspired by the legacy of the club, Kanat Studio says their goal was to “provide the community with a club they could own, a place that respects those who came before, those who are there now and those to come.” They wanted the design to “acknowledge the amazing women involved” and to “be a place people would want to be in, socialise in and be engaged by”.

The brief also required that the design “create a home for their netball community that would attract star players, representatives, coaches and selectors to use the facilities,” and to create a pleasant work environment for staff. The numerous function rooms on site also had to attract those outside the netball community to hire the rooms for events.

The existing building interior had become somewhat of a “rabbit’s warren” the designers say, created by years of minor renovations. Part of the design strategy was therefore to create a sense of cohesion between disparate spaces “pulling together” the collective parts to create a whole.

In terms of design drivers, Kanat Studio says they had to find a balance between literal and figurative references to the sport:

“Through the design, we carefully considered materiality and texture with literal references to the netball net while placing a strong emphasis on community and network. Playing with this idea we found balance between the spaces and avoided theming, giving credibility to the club and spaces that could also be used by community outsiders.”

The most playful use of this ‘net concept’ is observed in the Players Lounge which is the hub of the facility. This is seen through signage, counter and bar fronts, the ramp ceiling and the curtain to the Lounge.

Not strangers to dynamic colour schemes, the studio was a finalist in the 2022 and 2024 Dulux Colour Awards and the winners of a 2023 Resene Colour Award. Kanat Studio’s creative relationship with colour is particularly apparent in this project.

Says the studio: “Colour use is significant in the success of the interiors. A tight palette carries throughout the club, reflecting brand colours in an understated approach. It’s expanded in the Player’s Lounge to be bold and energetic.”

The result is a club that feels grown up, with uplifting and playful design elements creating a modern, compelling and unique sports identity. Kanat Studio’s inclusive interiors welcome social interaction for all ages and encourage community spirit and camaraderie — here’s to the next seven decades.