Waiariki Spa – Rotorua Lakefront, New Zealand.
Client: Pukeroa Lakefront Holdings Ltd
Architects: RCG Architects
Completion: March 2023
Award: Winner – Concrete NZ 2025 Monte Craven Excellence in Architectural Concrete Construction
Waiariki Spa is a world class a luxury spa and wellness facility like no other compiled through the lens of Te Ao Māori – the Māori world – architecturally, experientially and culturally.
With a deep focus on authenticity throughout, every element is founded on Ngāti Whakaue principles, practices and stories, reflecting the whakapapa (kinship) with the natural environment.
Due to the extremely corrosive nature of the land and geothermal water, all materials were selected to meet building code requirements for durability. In addition, as the client is a generational developer, the building had to go the distance.
The development comprises of 67 x MONARC Precast Concrete Wall Panels
(1038m2) and 56 x 600mm square Precast Concrete F5 finished Columns up to
9meters in height reaching from the basement to the roof.
Panels and columns were manufactured a specially formulated 50MPA architectural concrete blend for maximum aggregate aesthetics. Xypex admixture was also added to increase term of life protection in the
highly volatile seismic and geothermal region.
Precast elements use Natsteel Rebar from Nauhria Reinforcing, manufactured with a 95% minimum recycled steel content and proudly boasting NZ’s lowest embodied carbon GWP at <0.49 kg/CO2/kg.
