McAuliffe Stevens are the architects for the Holiday Inn Express & Suites hotel that opened in Queenstown during winter 2020. The concept for the hotel is strongly based on the glacier that preceded Lake Wakatipu and the large rocks lie around the Lake that have been displaced from their original ecological location by the glacier, known as glacial erratic’s. As a consequence, the architecture for the Hotel presents with strong contemporary forms and a simple pallet of materials.
Architectural Envelopes’ (formally Southern Architectural Roofing) TarcClad and TarcTray Standing Seam prefinished metal was used to complete the cladding and roofing of major elements of the design that were to represent the glacial erratic’s. Architectural Envelopes skill, expertise and craftsmanship has been integral to the success of the design and execution of these elements. Architectural Envelopes liaised with McAuliffe Stevens during the technical design phases and informed by their knowledge, provided valuable advise and detail information during that period. Architectural Envelopes then went on to complete the resulting cladding and roofing during construction, to meet all expectations. During this period they proactively attended to any matters that arose, with a willing and positive approach, again informed by their knowledge.
As a consequence of Architectural Envelopes contribution to the Holiday Inn Express & Suites project it was natural that they be similarly involved with the major redevelopments of O’Connell’s in Queenstown and Forsyth Barr House in Dunedin, where copper has been selected for roofing and cladding elements, and the designs are also being undertaken by McAuliffe Stevens Registered Architects.