Catalina Bay Apartments
Sitting at the north-eastern tip of Hobsonville Point, the newly developed Catalina Apartments is the first realisation of a master plan that will eventually see retail, hospitality and commercial spaces nearby, transforming the site previously owned and used by the Royal New Zealand Air Force into a thriving waterfront village.
Paying homage to the history of the location and sympathetic to the adaptive reuse of the old aircraft hanger next-door, the architect's vision uses a combination of light-coloured brickwork and aluminium cladding that has been powder-coated to resemble corten steel. This visually transitions the overall aesthetic from the hangar to the soon-to-be constructed high-end ‘Yacht Club’ on the opposite side of the apartments and townhouses, creating a balanced aesthetic for the village to come.
The dual towers of the main block are made up of 76 high-end apartments. The plant rooms above both the East and West towers are hidden from conspicuous sight by louvres powder coated to match the aluminium cladding used throughout. Down below, louvres are used above and to the side of the East Tower entry.
9 Townhouses sit between the apartment block and water. Their use of light-coloured brick blends them towards the concrete waterfront, while the aluminium balustrades, entry fins, planters and letter boxes, all maintain a congruence with the aluminium cladding of the towers behind.
Catalina Bay uses a mixture of Caldera and Solaris louvres to maintain the clean lines of the exterior. Up top, the plant rooms are covered with Caldera 150 louvres, where their strong and sharp lines fit in with the long vertical lines segmenting the corten steel coloured towers.
Below by the eastern entrance and wrapping around the corner, are Solaris 400 and 200 louvres. By spacing the Solaris 400 louvres at 500mm centres, the larger blades create a base that is visually strong but allows for light to flood the entranceway. Above, the Solaris 200 louvres fixed at 250mm centres tighten the visuals to force your gaze upwards, towards the impressive apartments with their harbour views.
The same Solaris 150 louvres are used on the townhouses to create the balcony screens. These are joined by Solaris 100 and 200 louvres for the entry fins, along with gate and balustrade panels. Together, they establish an exterior that offers a sense of privacy for the occupants without disconnecting the living experience from the waterfront.
In a departure from our usual work, aluminium planter boxes and letter boxes complete the townhouses. Both use a folded aluminium surround with an aluminium subframe, and both are finished in the same powdercoating as the louvres and other facade elements. They finish the visual conformity of the townhouses while those plantar boxes will allow for individual expression, depending on the occupants botanical preference!.
Catalina Bay Apartments offer a unique waterfront location with a history that shows through the design of the new apartments and townhouses, and the repurposing of the adjacent hangar. With a consistent use of Insol louvres in the same powdercoated finish to maintain strong, clean lines, the design is a visual anchor for the village to come. Indeed, if Catalina Bay Apartments are an indication of what’s to follow, the future is certainly exciting for this part of Hobson Bay peninsula.
Client Willis Bond Architect Architectus
Contractor LT McGuinness Location Auckland
