IKEA Sylvia Park

Our Auckland team built New Zealand’s first IKEA retail store, a large‑scale, technically complex development comprising a gross building area of 52,684sqm over three levels including retail space, car parking, warehouse and a restaurant.

We were involved in the project as an External Construction Manager (ECM) rather than the traditional main contractor model, with the subcontractors contracting directly with IKEA. We partnered with IKEA from early in the project lifecycle, building an open, solutions focused working relationship and supporting decision-making and delivery at every stage. We conducted formal reviews of the developed and detailed design documentation, advising on builability, value engineering and consenting.

The building sits on a bored pile system drilled down to basalt, with pile caps and ground beams. The IL3 superstructure is formed from structural steel framing with Double‑T and Comflor flooring systems, with the inbound receiving area instead using an in‑situ post‑tensioned concrete slab to support high load and operational demands. The façade incorporates Kingspan panel systems and aluminium curtain walling. We had three tower cranes on site at the height of the structural works.

We ensured that finished areas throughout the building were handed over promptly, allowing the retail fitouts to proceed apace. A significant component of the fitout works included the delivery of IKEA’s famous restaurant and food service areas. These spaces required careful coordination of commercial kitchen installations, mechanical and ventilation systems, drainage, finishes and services, while integrating seamlessly within the wider retail environment.

The project is on track to achieve a 5 Star Green Star as-built rating, with an impressive 86% of waste diverted from landfill and innovative reuse of concrete dust to manufacture a new 40/50 MPa grout.

Our Project & Interiors team was busy through the latter part of the main build, constructing a 140-metre-long covered pedestrian walkway running between Sylvia Park and the new IKEA.