RCP managed the project from concept design through consent, procurement and construction, with Josh Harris the client's representative through the build. When the job was retendered after demolition, RCP carried the developing brief and the specialist work packages across to the new main contractor, so nothing was lost in the change.
The façade was the most demanding part to deliver, its heavy support frame and 189 floating aluminium poles pulling together architect, engineer, fabricator and contractor, and RCP held that coordination through construction. RCP also brought in specialist review of the building's power needs, and instead of the 300-amp supply first assumed, it was able to run on 160 amps, avoiding a new transformer.
Completed in December 2024, Pūtahi Teia gives Pukaingataru a modern A-Grade workplace of around 1,000 square metres over two levels, with a double-height atrium, shared social spaces and exposed concrete and timber inside. Reusing the structure rather than replacing it sits with the Trust's intergenerational outlook, and the building took a 2026 NZIA Waikato Bay of Plenty commercial architecture award and a merit for heritage and adaptive reuse.
Awards
- 2026 NZIA Waikato Bay of Plenty Architecture Awards, Commercial Architecture Award
- 2026 Property Council New Zealand Property Industry Awards, Merit, Heritage and Adaptive Reuse
