©1968
2025
Auckland Airport commissioned Peddlethorp to design an ambitious project which was to transform the arrival and departure experience at New Zealand’s busiest international gateway. The vision was clear: enhance passenger experience by creating a world-class, multi-storey Transport Hub that delivers smarter, smoother journeys while preparing for the future of mass rapid transit directly into the airport precinct.
Client
Auckland Airport
Sustainability
5 Green Star
Parksmart Gold
Location
Māngere, Auckland
Awards
2024 New Zealand Airport Awards, Infrastructure Project of the Year – Large Airport
Located on the doorstep of the International Terminal, the Transport Hub – a major infrastructure project which elevated the experience of arrival and departures, rationalised private and public vehicle movements, and achieved the Airport’s sustainability targets – was named “Infrastructure Project of the Year 2024, Large Airport” at the New Zealand Airports Awards.
‘TH01’ has been fully future-proofed to support the Airport’s long-term growth. The hub unlocks critical precinct developments, incorporating provisions for future rail connections, direct airbridges into the terminal, and improved pedestrian links at ground level – each element designed to enhance accessibility and connectivity for the thousands of travellers who pass through daily. Delivered in carefully staged phases, its completion also enabled the closure of the existing International Terminal Road, paving the way for a new integrated domestic and international terminal alongside wider infrastructure upgrades.
The hub features more than 320 metres of covered kerbside space, optimised for efficient traffic flow, as well as pedestrian pathways surrounded by native planting, creating a welcoming, distinctly Aotearoa feel.
Peddlethorp Director Manuel Diaz says, “Designed with the future of travel in mind, the Hub reflects the airport’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure, including an expansive 1.49-megawatt rooftop solar array that supports EV charging and reduces the building’s energy footprint.”
Every element – from doubling drop-off/pick-up capacity to a 4,500m² 5 Green Star-rated office building – demonstrates a collaborative effort to integrate innovative design with the movement of 10,000 vehicles daily through a Gold Parksmart-certified facility.
Extensive cultural research informed the project’s narrative. Guided by Associate Director and Cultural Design Advisor Derek Kawiti, the design team collaborated closely with mana whenua, Te Ākitai Waiohua, to interpret the Airport’s cultural framework and embed meaningful principles into the design. This process shaped the narrative: “People will keep moving, but the land will remain,” a concept that informed every stage of the design process.
The design reflects the relationship between Papatūānuku (earth), Ranginui (sky), and Te Tangata (people). A robust precast concrete base anchors the building to the whenua, while the lighter, more transparent upper levels symbolise the journey from earth to sky. The open metal façade provides both natural ventilation and visual permeability, aligning with te ao Māori principles while complementing the wider airport precinct aesthetic.
The numbers behind the project:
- 80,000m2 of gross building area
Over 2,000 undercover carparks.
More than 30 new electric vehicle charging stations.
2,542 solar panels spanning 14,000m2 of rooftop, producing a 1,490 megawatt hour(MWh) /annum – offsetting approximately 625 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions per year.
This is equivalent to:
- Powering 137 fossil-fuel-powered cars for a year.
Powering 139 homes for a year.
Charging 426 electric vehicles for a year.
