119 Great North Road

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  • 2019

  • Architectural
    Architectual Design

Commissioned By:

Giltrap Group

Designed In:

New Zealand

Situated along Auckland’s historic automotive boulevard, the new nine-storey mixed use office and car showroom complex comprises two dedicated showroom levels, three commercial office floors and four basement carparking levels, including a dedicated on-site workshop.


  • CHALLENGE
  • SOLUTION
  • IMPACT
  • MORE
  • Premier New Zealand car dealership The Giltrap Group needed their new Auckland Headquarters to balance beauty and function – to balance their position at the forefront of the end-to-end car sales experience while showcasing their investment in enhanced engineering and innovation through better design. The proposed mixed-use space needed to hero their ‘star-cars’ in a full-service corporate, warehouse, servicing and showroom build not yet seen in the New Zealand automotive industry. Nine levels were to connect in one luxurious, customer-focused and highly-functional build.

  • Working in collaboration with the client, Warren and Mahoney brought the vision of the first mixed-use, all-in-one star-car showroom and commercial office building to life. Conceived over seven years ago, the building is a first of its size and type in New Zealand. Centring on the star of the building – the automotive – the design allows cars to move freely between levels, showcasing each models’ brilliance in three glass ‘jewellery box’ frames simulating retailer corner boxes. Curved driving ramps connected each floor in a sine wave curve, allowing clients to drive in with the old, drive out with the new.

  • An immersive customer experience where clients could drive into the dealership, view the workshop from upper platforms, and drive out in their new purchase was facilitated by innovative sine wave-curved driving ramps. Challenges around the motors’ low-height clearance and the building’s shorter length were resolved with an in-situ concrete truss. Collaboration with Targetti New Zealand led to the development of a multi-task light, a bespoke, centralised system controlling power, data, sprinklers and lighting in one linear fitting inspired by under-car-hood engineering. Materials were specifically chosen to target a five-star, Green Star design rating.

  • Materials and detailing reflected the ideal customer journey. Imported, low-iron glass created crisp ‘jewellery boxes’ at street level, as a minimalist colour palette let brand insignia take centre stage. Polished concrete floors and trusses introduced a minimalist aesthetic, suited both to its engineering-focused brands and the cars driving through. Concrete apex structures provided support and a visual framing of the world’s most celebrated motors. Client views of the workshop and a centralised engineering system devised with Targetti New Zealand offers an inspiring deviation from dealership norms.