Te Awa Hamilton

Texlon^® ETFE for Shopping Malls

Vector Foiltec enclosed the Te Awa mall at The BASE shopping centre in Hamilton, New Zealand with 3,020 m² of Texlon^® ETFE. Designed by Ignite Architects of Auckland, this unique building reflects local culture, while providing world class retail facilities to New Zealand’s 4^th largest city.

Customized, Unique Print Pattern on ETFE Foil

The customized print pattern on the top foil uses the client Tainui Group’s Niho Taniwha (guardian’s teeth) motif and diffuses natural light onto the internal street. Tainui Group is the kaitiaki (guardian) of the commercial assets for the 67,000 members of the Waikato-Tainui people – the regional Maori tribe. It gives the Shopping Mall a uniqueness and cultural identity. Not only is the Texlon^® ETFE able to tie in the cultural of the surrounding are but it maximises natural lighting, and gives the opportunity for solar shading and control using specially developed prints and patterns. The unique print pattern is a protected design which can only be used for the Te Awa Mall – a great unique characteristic.

Local Influences on Design

The architecture of the building is based around two core themes: the Waikato River and a Waka, a Maori War Canoe. Cultural themes are widely represented throughout the centre – from the custom, unique print pattern – which underlies a copyright – in the Texlon^® ETFE roofing to a red, white and black thread pattern used throughout the mall. Even the Mall’s name “Te Awa” translates to “The River”.

The BASE centre was fully-operational during the construction of the enclosure at the Te Awa shopping mall, which presented special operational and staging challenges to Vector Foiltec’s construction team.

Awards

The project was awarded Silver in the New Developments Category at the Asia Pacific Shopping Centre Awards 2012. Furthermore, it was awarded Best in Retail 2012 by the Property Council and Nga Aho Design Bronze, Best Awards.

Leave a Footprint with Texlon^® ETFE by Vector Foiltec – with or without a unique print pattern

Retail could not be a more fascinating industry as it invites all of us to take part – everyone is a consumer. Contact your local Vector Foiltec office for more information.