The Rock was officially opened by Prime Minister John Key on 27 October with a public open morning planned for 21 November 2010. We are very proud of the achievement of the team following 5 years of blood, sweat and tears.
The conroversial Rock is now a reality with the construction hoardings inside the new terminal taken down. The copper archways, glass fissures and chasms in the roof and floor have created a dramatic ambience in The Rock. Passengers can now get a glimpse of what The Rock promises and International arriving passengers get to walk alongside the copper walls. The Rock was officially opened by Prime Minister John Key on 27 October with a public open morning planned for 21 November 2010. We are very proud of the achievement of the team following 5 years of blood, sweat and tears.
At the outset of this project, as well as having a clear and defined brief, Wellington Airport International Airport Limited (WIAL) told the architect design team to come up with something that was ‘edgy’, which left them scratching their heads but gave them the creative licence to design something spectacular! Conceptually, the building design draws its inspiration from Wellington’s rocky southern coast.
As well as a controversial design, the necessary alterations to fuel hydrants posed a challenge and threatened to cause delays. The hydrants are owned by Joint User Hydrant Installation (JUHI) and land is leased through WIAL. In order to alter the fuel hydrants, a separate agreement was entered into between JUHI and WIAL to design and install hydrants to suit the new international gates. We could not risk a similar scenario to that at Adelaide Airport, where a new terminal opening was delayed because of fuel contamination.
‘The Rock’ is one of the capital city’s most exciting development projects and incorporates the $60 million expansion of the airport’s international terminal. It promises a vastly improved experience for passengers and visitors alike.
Impact Project Management was appointed Project Director in July 2005, making us responsible not only for this project but for others within WIAL’s development plan, including Wellington Airport’s car park upgrade project, the main terminal retail tenancies project, and two new duty-free outlets at Wellington International Airport for JR Duty Free. WIAL’s master plan extends to 2030 and includes a number of significant developments that will see more than 10 million passengers every year (more than double the current number of 4.6 million).
The completed Rock - October 2010
Our direct report is the General Manager Assets and Planning and, during intensive times of the project, we chair the Project Steering Committee, whose members include the Chief Executive and General Manager Commercial. We provide strategic direction to the Committee for all project matters and report on cost, time and consultant team progress. We are committed to delivering the project promptly and cost effectively, with a constant focus on meeting WIAL’s strict and uncompromising safety standards and ensuring minimal disruption to airport users and the passengers who pass through the airport every year. Change management (as a result of the volatile aviation industry) is a key part for our role, along with ensuring consultation with and contributions and timely decisions from the project stakeholders.
Wellington Airport is one of the country’s most challenging environments in which to work, with a requirement to ensure ‘business as usual’ 24/7, 365 days a year. Wellington Airport projects require meticulous planning, rigorous attention to detail (and budget) and effective two-way communication with everyone concerned – from government agencies, the Civil Aviation Authority and airlines to fuel companies and concessionaires.
The Award Winning Rock!
During 2011 ‘The Rock’ has won no less than 11 awards – in early November ‘The Rock’ successfully took out the Transport Category award the prestigious World Architecture Festival in Barcelona. Local and national awards include the Commercial Architecture category at the NZIA Wellington Architecture Awards; winner of a Purple Pin at the Best Awards for NZ’s best spatial design; and the Timber Design Awards 2011 in the Interior Fit Out Category.
Mainzeal Property and Construction Limited took out the RMB Commercial Project of the Year, as well as the Industrial and Infrastructure Project for its development of The Rock at Wellington Airport.
Image gallery
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- The capitivating Rock face
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- The Rock view from the tarmac
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- The Rock architectural perspective
Wellington Airport is in a growth phase, implementing its 2030 Master Plan which includes key areas of passenger and freight growth, terminal and runway development and integrated land use. In addition, the airport is a challenging environment, handling over five million passengers, 365 days per year and on a very compact site. Impact has always responded to our very challenging goals. Whether it is a retail fit out, or a $60 million terminal redevelopment, they constantly deliver. They provide genuine leadership to our projects, achieve outstanding results and are considered an integral part of our organisation.
- John Howarth, Acting CEO, Wellington International Airport Ltd
