Glamorous concrete floor a feature of Mānawa Bay

The opening of the new Mānawa Bay premium outlet shopping centre in the Auckland Airport’s precinct in September this year hit the news with major traffic jams experienced by motorists as consumers flocked to the mall looking for a bargain.

Definitely worth the effort to get there, with more than 100 shops on show - including luxury brands, such as Calvin Klein, Guess, Kate Spade and Tommy Hilfiger - the mall offers substantial discounts in a stylish 5 Star, Green Star Design rated building.

One of the key features on show at Mānawa Bay is the striking polished concrete floor laid by loyal Firth customer Conset Construction - using Firth EcoMix Low Carbon Concrete.

“We worked with our client Savory Construction to place a mammoth 36,095m² of concrete for the entire floor using Firth’s EcoMix Low Carbon Concrete,” says Alan Ross, General Manager for Conset Construction. “The floor includes two different concrete colours separated by 662m of curved decorative brass joint – not an easy task for my team.”

“The Mānawa Bay job for Conset consisted of two mixes – both modified 19mm pump mixes to allow line pumping within the building structure,” says Rob McKinnon, Materials Manager (Northern) for Firth. “One of the mixes had the addition of black oxide and the second used vanilla oxide and shell to achieve the required aesthetics. The shell was brought into the plant specifically for this job. The concrete was all delivered from our Airport plant which is just around the corner to ensure consistent supply and the best possible outcome for our customer.”

“As usual Firth were great to deal with and my team did a fantastic job,” adds Alan. “The result is spectacular. Everyone is very pleased.”

Did you know …

• Mānawa Bay is designed by Perth based architects TRCB.
• Mānawa Bay is the first dedicated shopping centre to receive a Green Star rating for its design.
• Beyond shopping, Mānawa Bay also offers diverse dining options with 13 food and beverage outlets, from casual dining to alfresco options.
• The centre features New Zealand’s largest rooftop solar array, powering up to 85% of its energy needs.
• It also implements water conservation measures, stormwater management, and a zero-gas policy in its fully electric food court.
• The meaning of *Mānawa Bay is inspired by the unique location in park-like grounds at the water's edge and the historical and cultural significance of this area to tangata whenua (people of the land).
• The complex aligns with Auckland Airport’s goals for sustainable growth and innovation.