Generator Pipiri Lane: $3.3b landlord Precinct’s first cross-laminated timber development

This shows what Precinct Properties' new mass timber building on Halsey St will look like, once Hawkins has finished the construction work. Video / Generator New Zealand

Hawkins is nearing completion of Precinct Properties’ first cross-laminated timber building in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter, refurbishing a heritage structure and building up and out behind it to create what is to be called Generator Pipiri Lane.

Scott Pritchard, Precinct chief executive, said the mass timber structure design was picked for its sustainability and the building would be leased under the company’s Generator flexible leasing model.

“We’re the largest flexible leasing providers in New Zealand,” he said on a construction site tour this week.

The timber came from Red Stag and Pritchard said the exterior cladding of the new addition would be stainless steel.

Precinct Properties' chief executive Scott Pritchard inside Generator Pipiri Lane, which is opening later this year. This is Precinct’s first venture into a CLT timber structure. Photo / Dean Purcell

Hawkins built the new three-level building behind the existing Flowers Building, retained as a statement area and entranceway to the larger connected structure behind.

This is all within Precinct’s new $550 million Wynyard Quayside in the waterfront block between Halsey St, Pakenham St and Madden St.

Timber columns, beams and underside of timber floors are visible in the building on Halsey St beside the new $300m Beca House Te Paeroa o te Kawau.

The top floor has a saw-tooth roof design, increasing the ceiling heights beyond 4m.

The $550m Wynyard Quayside by Precinct Properties. The new $300 million Beca House spans three buildings, all interconnected in an L-shaped floor layout between Pakenham St West (left) and Piripi Lane (right). The Flowers Building is in the centre with a saw-tooth roof and the lower grey John Lysaght building is to the far left. Halsey St is at the bottom of this image. Photo / Precinct Properties

The roof design of the new building is also a reference to the heritage refurbished Mason Bros. building nearby, which is the Auckland headquarters for architects Warren and Mahoney.

Pritchard said the popular Generator would be able to expand its footprint with this new building and also fitted well with Wynyard Quayside’s stated vision to create a tech and innovation hub.

Generator Pipiri Lane is due to open this August. Pritchard said its top level could be used by other businesses including neighbours Beca because this was an events area with transparent roof features.

Up to 500 people would be able to gather in the new level-three venue, he said.

Eke Panuku said of the project: “The Flowers Building comprises a three-level annex to 124 Halsey. With sustainable building practice at the heart of its design, the Flowers building will boast a mass timber structure, resiliently designed to achieve 100% new build standard for seismic rating.”

Next door is Beca’s new headquarters, after that business left Pitt St in February and March.

Precinct Properties' plans for Pumanawa Downtown West: two towers on the Downtown Carpark site. This shows the two new towers to the right, with SkyTower on the far right.

Across the water on the other side of the Viaduct Basin, Precinct plans demolition of the existing carpark building and the construction of two towers to be New Zealand’s tallest where people live and work.

That project, Te Pūmanawa o Tāmaki, involves:

Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.