Project Spotlight: Crowning Achievement

A triple Best in Category winner at this year’s Property Industry Awards, we check out if the Deloitte Centre, developed by Precinct at 1 Queen Street in Auckland, is worth the hype. 

This visionary redevelopment set out to maximise the building's premium position in the inner city of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Design details reflect its proximity to the waterfront, along with historical references to being a place of trade and cultural connection.

Precinct’s redevelopment of 1 Queen Street is the final piece in an urban artwork called Commercial Bay. The premium address is pivotal to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland — it links its identity as a waterfront city with its history as a place of trade and cultural connection — so the rejuvenation required a visionary plan and highly skilled teams. The finished product, the Deloitte Centre or Te Kaha, is a fitting crown for Commercial Bay, which occupies an entire downtown block. 

It has been quite the transformation — from underperforming B-grade asset to a place that seamlessly connects to its urban waterfront environment and surrounding streets. Thresholds between spaces have been dissolved and every day the centre invites in workers, tourists, shoppers, visitors and diners. Inside you’ll find the 5-star InterContinental Hotel with 139 guest rooms, restaurants, a rooftop bar, wine shop, corporate base for Deloitte and Bell Gully, and boutique offices for smaller businesses. More than 1000 people work here, supporting local trade and stimulating the night-time economy. 

Public transport is on the doorstep. “Ferry, train and bus hubs are steps away, making seamless travel a defining feature of our location,” says InterContinental Auckland’s general manager, Ryan South. “This location reinforces Auckland’s status as a dynamic, globally connected city.” 

In this landmark adaptive reuse project, the original structure was tailored to the needs of today’s businesses and staff. 

The floorplate was extended and levels added to the concrete frame. The new energy-efficient facade has been given two treatments: one for the hotel on the lower half, another for the 

office floors above. Glazing of the hotel has gold mullions that signpost the quality of the InterContinental. The offices have a more uniform appearance. These upper levels project 1500mm to the north, providing more area to rent and allowing floor-to ceiling glass unimpeded by the original concrete edge beam. The facade also has custom lighting designed by Pāora Puru, so that at night, it’s like a beacon that’s visible from many parts of Tāmaki Makaurau. 

Back to the hotel, which has valet parking on Quay Street and accessible parking in the basement. Other accessibility provisions include shuttle lifts, a ramp into Commercial Bay and specially designed hotel rooms. 

Accommodation showcases dark timbers and textured stone. This purposely moody environment is designed to draw the eye outside to the glittering waters of the Waitematā. Each artwork integrates Māori cultural identity, values and designs into the spaces they occupy. You’ll find pieces by Māori artists, Fiona Pardington, Beronia Scott, Tessa Harris, Chris Bailey, Wi Taepa and Esther McDonald. Local iwi Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei gifted the building the name Te Kaha, which signifies strength through unity. 

The list of future-proofing, sustainable and energy-efficient measures is long. In terms of adaptability, if hotel demand increases, it can expand into levels 3-5, currently in office space. Of note, this project is the first mixed-use (office/hotel) in the country to earn a 6 Green Star As Built rating. Adapting the building translated to a 67 per cent reduction in embodied carbon compared to demolishing and constructing a new one. Responsibly sourced materials were chosen by lifecycle carbon assessments, and removal of the original precast concrete cladding significantly reduced the seismic risk, which now has an NBS rating of 100 per cent. 

Systems to reduce ongoing carbon emissions include a district cooling system integrated into Commercial Bay’s central chilled water plant, electric instantaneous boilers for office and end-of-trip hot water, a metered BMS (building management system) that optimises mechanical systems, 

and the LED lighting has sensors. The glazing and fins reduce energy demand, while natural light and excellent air quality and acoustics benefit those who work and stay here. 

DELOITTE CENTRE 
1 Queen St, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

OWNER PRECINCT PROPERTIES HOLDINGS 

DEVELOPER PRECINCT PROPERTIES HOLDINGS 

CONSTRUCTION LT MCGUINNESS 

ARCHITECT WARREN & MAHONEY 

SERVICE ENGINEER NDY 

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER HOLMES GROUP 

MECHANICAL ENGINEER NDY 

BUILDING ENCLOSURE ENGINEER MOTT MACDONALD 

QUANTITY SURVEYOR RIDER LEVETT BUCKNALL 

PROJECT MANAGER RCP 

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ENGINEER NDY 

PLANNERS BARKER & ASSOCIATES 

All the winners from the 2025 Property Industry Awards

It was a night of celebration, innovation, and architectural excellence as movers and shakers from the New Zealand property industry gathered in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland for the 2025 Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards — the country's most prestigious recognition of achievement in the built environment.

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