Airport gets facelift

An artist's impression of the conceptualised tree which will contain 24 projectors. Photo / Supplied

A conceptualised giant tree projecting images of native flora from the inside out will be the centrepiece of Auckland International Airport's final stage Rugby World Cup redevelopment.

The airport company has completed the first three parts of its $50 million, four-stage makeover, and has now set to work knocking down the old duty free area to make way for a new airside passenger concourse.

The area will feature lounge seating with shops around the perimeter and views out on to the tarmac.

At the centre will be The Tree, as it has been called - an installation designed by Whangarei company Fabric Structure Systems which made the giant inflatable rugby ball displayed in Paris during the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

The foliage part of the tree will be a taut fabric screen on to which 24 internal projectors will beam changing images. Ideas so far include patterns of pohutukawa foliage and night sky scenes.

At the bottom of the tree a soundscape of birds and crickets will play.

General manager of retail and commercial for the airport, Adrian Littlewood, said the aim was to create a more engaging experience for travellers.

"We're trying to give people a sense of 'you've made it through, you've done the hard bit'."

He said the redevelopment probably would have happened anyway but the Rugby World Cup had given the company "the catalyst to get a lot of stuff done".

The work was on target to be completed by December.

Two new hotels on the airport grounds would also be completed by June. The four-star Novotel, majority owned by Tainui Group Holdings with the airport and hotel operator Accor holding minority stakes, is already under construction. Work has yet to begin on the airport-owned budget hotel Formule 1.

Auckland International Airport planned the revamp in conjunction with RWC's First Impressions group, and the Ministry of Economic Development-run New Zealand 2011 which is organising the six-week RWC festival, the volunteer and hosting programme, and business hosting.

"It's us playing our part to help the country deliver the Rugby World Cup," communications manager Richard Llewellyn said.

Work on the new passenger lounge follows the opening this month of stage three of the redevelopment - a new duty-free shopping hall on the other side of the security processing queues. A revamp of the public hall and processing areas had earlier been completed.

Duty free operators DFS and JR/Duty Free are offering a number of new features, including tasting bars and a makeover counter. JR is about to open a luxury watch boutique and has a live technology area where passengers can trial laptops and play computer games.

It is also selling New Zealand products such as All Blacks merchandise and manuka honey.