Delivering Auckland’s airport of the future

Auckland Airport is growing fast, with passenger numbers increasing from 13.2 million to over 19 million since 2008. To support this growth, Beca helped expand Pier B of the airport’s International Terminal seamlessly using BIM.

New Zealand’s reputation as an attractive tourist destination continues to grow, with more than 3.5 million overseas visitors entering the country in 2017.

As the nation’s main international airport and a transit point for flights across the region, Auckland International Airport was feeling the strain of the country’s tourism success, with passenger numbers rising an average 10% per year.

Working in partnership with the airport’s authority, Beca provided design and construction management services to expand the International Terminal’s Pier B. This added two new contact gates, reducing the need for passengers to walk on the tarmac and doubled its passenger processing capacity, in anticipation of future needs.

More than an ordinary commercial construction project, delivering this expansion within a live 24/7 airport environment came with additional challenges, including a harsh physical environment and strict security requirements.

To overcome these constraints, Beca used BIM (Building Information Modelling) to visualise how the completed Pier B would look, allowing issues to be identified well before work even began.

The end result is an attractive space that welcomes visitors to Auckland with locally-sourced NZ photography, life-sized Golden Godwit birds and integrated Digital Asset Management technology to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Awards:

• 2018 Property Council New Zealand Awards – Holmes Consulting Tourism & Leisure Property Award, Excellence Award