QE Health Centre

Rotorua

Client:

QE Health

Location:

Rotorua Lakefront

Completed:

March 2023

Project Size:

3,000sqm

Project Budget:

$15 Million

Project Services:

Project Management

Project overview

In October 2019, Pukeroa Lakefront Holdings and QE Health Limited reached an agreement to build a new facility of approximately 3,000m² on Pukeroa’s lakefront site. Developing a facility to deliver best practice health services required highly specialised project execution. The centre will respond to local context and culture and will provide an inspiring and rejuvenating place for its users and the wider community.

Alongside the new Wai Ariki Spa and Hot Springs, the QE Centre will create a world-class health and wellness precinct on the Rotorua Lakefront. In December 2019, our Project Management team was appointed to manage the design and delivery of the new centre.

It is a privilege for our team to be part of the redevelopment of a Rotorua icon, and a place with such a rich history. The origins of the centre began in 1942, with a Services Convalescent Hospital providing rehabilitation to soldiers returning from World War II. Over the years the centre has become an important destination for overseas visitors, attending regularly to undergo thermal treatments and therapies. While the centre is no longer a hospital, but a place of rehabilitation and wellness, the philosophy remains the same as when the building opened in 1942: “To care for the body, mind, and spirit and help people rebuild confidence in themselves.”

The blessing of the new build at the end of February 2023 marked the completion of this facility which is set to officially open with a community open day. Rotorua has long been regarded and renowned globally for its geothermal-related health industry and this project reinforces this position.

We are thrilled to have led the delivery of the state-of-the-art QE Health facility, being a part of a project that achieves a great outcome for the Rotorua community in an otherwise trying time for New Zealand and the tourism sector.

Craig McMichael

Project Director

Project outcomes

Three months after the appointment, our experienced Project Management team successfully delivered and shaped the concept into a shovel-ready project. This involved the completion of:

A project execution plan
Fast-tracked design progressing through concept design, preliminary design, and developed design
Geotechnical and structural design response to challenging soil conditions
Pre-application consent meetings with Rotorua Lakes Council and stakeholders with a true collaborative partnership approach
Base build detailed design including architecture, structural engineering, geothermal water use, services engineering, and civil engineering
Funding partnership milestone reporting.

With a short timeline to advance the project, we had to think outside the box and employ multiple teams to advance the project at pace. Using a collaborative Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) allowed for front-end pricing decisions to constantly balance design objectives, and ensured the project stayed on-course and on-budget. The design process and technical team performed outstandingly under pressure to deliver an exceptional result to the client.

With a contemporary look and layout, this new build is designed and built to reflect and support the service that QE Health provides today, but also to enable growth and futureproof the organisation. Our team have managed the design process to maximise the flexible use of space to increase efficiencies and increase accessibility across different times and by different user groups by managing potential security and accessibility conflicts. This allows new features for the facility such as the 24 hours accessible gym studio.

Situated on Rotorua Iwi Ngati Whakaue land, and in a high profile and prominent position on the Rotorua Lakefront, the project is a true partnership that will deliver a state-of-the-art health and wellbeing facility for the community and will serve as a major destination for overseas visitors.

Our team are proud to have led this project and collaborated to deliver this great outcome for our client who provides such a valued service to the community. The new building ensures QE Health’s legacy will continue to serve our community for many generations to come.

QE Health Centre