New Zealand’s Auckland Airport and Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) have unveiled the designs of the new luxury Te Arikinui Pullman Auckland Airport Hotel.
The designs were made public as part of a ‘karakia’ service to celebrate the start of construction – karakia being Māori incantations and prayers, used to invoke spiritual guidance and protection.The partners worked with architects Warren and Mahoney to infuse unique Waikato-Tainui cultural elements into the design of the building, drawing heavily on the connection between land, sea and sky through the use of natural materials and light, while referencing New Zealand’s unique environment.
The project is part of Auckland Airport’s multibillion-dollar infrastructure investment program, which will transform the airport over the next two decades.
“We are proud to take the opportunity today to celebrate the continuation of the successful commercial partnership between TGH and Auckland Airport,” said Mark Thomson, Auckland Airport’s general manager of property.
“The team has gone to great lengths to ensure a world-class experience for travelers, including a top-floor restaurant and bar offering stunning views across the Manukau Harbour and Waitakere Ranges, as well as luxurious guest rooms. All this is within a short walk of the terminal,” he added.
The Te Whakakitenga o Waikato (the local tribal authority) was proud of its role in bringing a spectacular new hotel to the front gateway for Aotearoa New Zealand, according to its chair, Parekawhia McLean.
“It’s very fitting that the design for Te Arikinui is inspired by the historical links of Tainui waka [a tribal confederation] at Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa [Manukau Harbour] and the discovery and exploration our tuupuna [ancestors] undertook in settling this area,” she said.