The Hotel Britomart, Auckland

For more than 15 years, Cooper and Company has been patiently regenerating the nine-block Britomart neighbourhood in the heart of Auckland’s downtown waterfront. It’s a place where a blend of heritage and contemporary buildings now houses a working community of over 5,000 people and offers some of Auckland’s best eating, drinking and shopping.

The Hotel Britomart was designed as a place from which to enjoy all the amenities of the Britomart neighbourhood and the city beyond. NDY delivered full building services on the development, including an industry-leading sustainability offering. Our team provided design solutions for the new build, 10 storey hotel and the accompanying transformation of the adjacent historic Buckland Masonic building, an existing site first built in the 1800s, into an office building.

New Zealand’s first 5 Star Green Star-certified hotel has been designed to the highest standards of sustainability for building and construction. Working closely with Cheshire Architects and Cooper and Company, an organisation with a passion for sustainability that is in line with our own, NDY delivered the sustainability solutions that were a driving force behind the development’s realisation.

After research was obtained for the certification process, findings showed more than two thirds of travellers would prefer to stay in eco-friendly accommodation. To keep the project in line with these findings, initiatives included nearly 80% of the construction and demolition waste being re-used or recycled during the two-year build, and 70% of the water used for concrete coming from recycled sources. Material selection was imperative to the success of the sustainability goals, with locally sourced sustainable timber and recycled bricks used in the build.

There were two key services considerations for NDY during the design phase: limited plant space and the placement of building services in hotel rooms. To overcome spatial problems relating to the mechanical plant, NDY sourced chillers from numerous manufacturers and found only one that would meet the building’s demand and load whilst fitting into the tight plant area.

Cheshire and NDY worked through a scheme whereby the building infrastructure could be constructed in a way where the floor plan was maximised to the north and south elevations. Typical services design for hotels are normally located in the vestibules upon entry into guest rooms; however, given the small yet long geometry of the floorplate, services were installed towards the back end of rooms over bathrooms, providing guests with a maximised ceiling height and entry way.

Ultimately The Hotel Britomart is a smart, contemporary location that offers a respite to its guests through luxurious and sustainable rooms while reducing the impact of climate change and enhancing health and wellbeing for guests and hotel staff alike.

Image by Petra Leary