Takanini Village

The southern Auckland suburb of Takanini has experienced rapid population growth.  Keeping apace is the award-winning Takanini Town Centre, a large scale commercial development that cleverly hides behind multiple smaller retail spaces to present as a neighbourhood development with a village feel.  

Derby Square introduces new food and entertainment options to Takanini Town Centre, including the boutique Silky Otter Cinema chain, which occupies a central position in Derby Square.  Above the main entrance, the cinema sign sits large, beside a bank of louvres that decrease in height from the apex where the signed section and louvres meet.  

The backdrop to the signage and louvres is a semi-transparent white. During the day the blue outlining of the Silky Otter branding stands out subtly while the contrasting vertical lines of the dark louvres bring the expanse to a relatable scale that doesn’t feel overpowering, nor overly commercial.  At night, the white behind the louvres shows blue, replicating the shades of early evening, making you want to visit and see what’s going on. 

The excellent span capabilities of the Solaris 400x75 louvres made them ideal to fill the expanse above the entrance to the main Derby Square building, also serving to support the translucent white polycarbonate panels and backlighting. A total of 22 blades were used with lengths decreasing from 7000mm, with bracketry specially engineered to take loads from both the louvres and the polycarbonate panels. Vertically oriented with 628mm centres, the louvres were finished with a standard Duratec powder coat with a 25 year warranty. 

Now finished and open, Derby Square continues the village feel of Takanini Town Centre.  There are landscaped green spaces for sunny days with plenty of spaces for locals to meet and greet each other, before heading into one of the 5 eateries.  Or maybe locals will catch a flick at that eight-theatre boutique cinema with the big sign.  You know, the one next to those Solaris louvres.

Client  Wallace Group                           Architect  Ignite

Contractor  Wallace Construction        Location  Auckland