They also have the option to learn subjects which are not traditionally taught in New Zealand secondary schools, such as philosophy, video game design, DJing and music production.

They then discovered the section of the Education Act which enables a “designated special character “state school to be developed.

[4] Unlimited's presence in the city centre was a core aspect of the school's student culture and philosophy to learning.

A number of people, particularly students, were not present that day or had left the school the hour before the quake, due to many staff attending a paid union meeting in the Christchurch Town Hall.

At the time of the earthquake the school was on its lunch break and had a number of staff out, as well as a small group students on an unsupervised trust licence trip.

The small group of students on the unsupervised trust licence trip followed the same plan, eventually reuniting with the rest of the school.

The Hallensteins Building (dubbed the "Northern Tower") had already suffered minor damage in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake but was safe to use through to February 2011.

[5] The Southern Star Building was severely damaged, losing some of its front facade, as well as having a partially collapsed ceiling on the second floor.

In 2012 as part of the UC Quakebox project, an Unlimited staff member who was present on the day of the earthquake recounted entering the basement to check if any students were trapped after power had been lost, to find the area was flooding from burst pipes and the floor had become unstable.

[6] The basement area was closed following the events, and buildings which were connected to this section of The Crossing were de-constructed and rebuilt upon in the following years.

[9] In January 2013, Unlimited relocated to the premises of the former Christchurch Teachers' College in Parkstone Avenue, Ilam, which later became part of the University of Canterbury.

The move was first announced in 2011 by John Mather (then director) who cited the lack of suitable spaces at the Halswell site.

Mather retired from the role shortly after, where the school was then co-directed by the late Tanja Grzeta and Alastair Wells (formerly a senior lecturer at Auckland University).

On 26 March 2013, Minister of Education Hekia Parata wrote to Unlimited and Discovery 1 with confirmation of a proposed merger between the schools.

[14] In early March 2014 it was announced that the Board of Trustees had settled on a new name for the school, Ao Tawhiti, with the motto "Unlimited discovery".

[19] Plans for the school to the return to the Christchurch CBD by 2017 were delayed, in part due to difficulties in securing land.

The school had hoped to rebuild on High Street on the site of the former Centra Building,[20] then owned by Carter Group, but negotiations fell through.

[21] On 24 August 2016, Nikki Kaye, then Associate Minister of Education announced that the revised site for Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery was to be 177 St Asaph Street.

[19] Ao Tawhiti reopened at the St Asaph street address on 29 April 2019, following the public school holiday, although students did not return until several days after.

[25][26] In 2020, Ao Tawhiti announced that Anita Yarwood would take over as director from 2021, replacing Mustor who had overseen the school during the post-quake period.

[27] In 2022, around 60 students participated in a network test as part of a project to provide free Wi-Fi internet in the Christchurch city centre.

In an interview, Yarwood cited burnout from being the first director of the merged school at its new premises, as well as challenges caused by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

On 13 August 2007, thirteen students from Unlimited were arrested for trespassing, after staging multiple protests on the 'Stewart Fountain', a public water feature dedicated to Sir Robertson Stewart situated near the school.