Hiwa - The University of Auckland Recreation and Wellness Centre

Hiwa - The University of Auckland Recreation and Wellness Centre is a new eight-story building in the heart of The University of Auckland. This state-of-the-art recreation centre includes rooftop turf, pool, gymnasium, bouldering wall and sports studios. The approximately 20,000m² building replaces the existing centre and is nestled between student commons, science centre and student precinct unifying the urban campus.

Products

Bitumen Membranes Hot melt monolithic membrane Warm Roof system

Sector

Education

Project requirements

Challenges:

The project called for a multi-functional, durable, and thermally efficient roofing system that could support both passive recreation and high-performance activity zones. With unique structures like the Taumata mound and open-air running track, the design needed waterproofing solutions that integrated seamlessly with both complex forms and active-use surfaces.

Allco Solution

To meet the project’s performance and design demands, Allco provided a complete roofing solution including:

Aquatic Hall Roof: Allco’s hot melt monolithic membrane Hydrotech was used to waterproof the aquatic hall roof which also serves as an outdoor common area. The highlight of this external gathering area is the Taumata mound which consists of EPS foam shaped to create the complex tapered seating arrangement and waterproofed with Hydrotech to form a thick self-healing waterproof barrier.

Leisure Roof:

Turf Roof and plaza deck: Hydrotech was also utilised on the leisure roof as part of the turf and plaza deck waterproofing. The turf used to create the 3 outdoor courts needed a robust, seamless waterproofing membrane making Hydrotech the ideal solution. This was supplemented with a Casali bitumen cap sheet for additional protection and durability.

Running Track and Plant Deck: The Alltherm Warm Roof was used to waterproof the running track and plant deck to ensure ultimate thermal performance, high UV protection and long-term durability.

Plant deck riser, boiler roof, lift overrun, south lane canopy: The remaining areas of the Leisure Roof were waterproofed in Casali, a two-layer torch on bitumen membrane tailored to meet the diverse waterproofing needs of roof and deck structures.

These systems were chosen for their durability, flexibility, and proven performance in high-traffic, exposed environments—ensuring long-term integrity across the centre’s diverse rooftop functions.

Execution and Outcomes:

The success of this project can be attributed to the excellent communication and collaboration between main contractor Hawkins, applicators Sansom, and the Allco Technical team. Sansom’s expert team installed the roof membranes with care and precision, ensuring the new recreation centre stays dry for many years to come.

The Hiwa Recreation and Wellness Centre highlights the University’s focus on balancing well-being with academia and redefines what recreation can mean on a university campus.