Mānawa Bay premium outlet centre at Auckland Airport is New Zealand’s most sustainable retail facility, designed to set new standards in eco-conscious retail infrastructure. Mānawa Bay combines environmental, social, and economic sustainability, aligning with Auckland Airport’s mission to drive New Zealand’s success in travel, trade, and tourism.

Project Outcomes

• Programme – Mānawa Bay opened to the public as planned on 19th September 2024. The opening date was the same Target Completion Date set in lease agreements two years prior.
• Budget – The project was completed successfully on budget, with the final account of the construction contract agreed 6-weeks following practical completion.
• Value – Mānawa Bay is the first premium outlet centre in New Zealand and the value is reflected in the success of the leasing outcome.
• Change Management – The inevitable change which occurred from the requirements of integrating 115 tenancies, was managed, to minimise the impact on all other project metrics.
• Market Reach – 5,000+ site passes issued by the main contractor, Savory, during construction.
• Greenstar – Achieved a 5 Green Star design rating from the New Zealand Green Building Council. Targeting a minimum of a 5 Green Star As-Built rating.

Project Services

RDT Pacific led the project from inception through to completion, providing comprehensive Project Management, Engineer to the Contract, and Sustainability Advisory services. Key contributions included:

• Managing relationships with stakeholders, consultants and contractors to streamline the construction and tenancy fit-out processes.
• Contract administration, design quality, and change management, adding resources during peak phases to meet project demands.
• RDT Pacific guided the project through each phase, ensuring alignment with Auckland Airport’s commercial goals and sustainability objectives.

Project Features

• Mānawa Bay premium outlet centre spans a 12 ha site, with 35,000m² of retail area and supporting facilities, encompassing 115 tenancies of premium and speciality retail and food & beverage offerings. The centre’s main circulation space, the concourse, is set out in a “cranked figure 8” configuration, creating a seamless and engaging customer experience.
• The food and beverage area located on the east side of the centre has been designed for customer comfort. The timber feature-ceiling adds warmth throughout and is punctuated by natural light from the folded feature skylight. The area opens to alfresco dining and an expansive landscape with children’s playground overlooking Pukaki waterway and beyond.
• Onsite amenity has been enhanced for the community to include Changing Places facilities, parent rooms and lockers for travellers in transit. The centre has extensive storage for tenants and office space, amenity and end-of-trip facilities for centre management staff.
• The centre provides over 1,300+ parking spaces, and new intersections, road layouts and pedestrian connections to public transit are designed for ease of access
• A 2.3 mega-watt rooftop solar array powers the facility, estimated to power 85% of the development’s ongoing power needs. Sustainable water management features, such as stormwater retention tanks and raingardens, help protect the coastal environment and minimise water use.