The structure of the Waitomo Caves Visitor Centre comprises of an innovative ‘floppy pole’ system which provides spacing between the interwoven pine laminated veneer lumber (LVL) grid. The weaving of the timber structure to create a ‘gridshell’ is recalled by the local Hapu as a hinaki or Maori eel trap.

Inflated Texlon® ETFE cushions are cable ended and tethered over the gridshell structure. Each translucent cushion is warped in plane and highly 3 dimensional; structurally efficient in spans of 4-5m, and follows the lines of the LVL grid.