Novotel Tainui Hotel, Hamilton

Babbage was proud to be part of the team behind the Novotel Tainui Hotel Extension, which received Gold in the Tourism & Leisure Category at the New Zealand Commercial Project Awards.

The four-storey, 40-room expansion was designed to seamlessly integrate with the existing hotel structure, demanding precision, coordination, and sensitivity to the operating environment. The live hotel setting brought unique challenges, including rigorous health and safety requirements and staging constraints.

A major technical feat involved the installation of precast beams over 10m long and weighing more than 18 tonnes, which were installed during night hours to minimise disruption - demonstrating the team’s careful planning and adaptive problem-solving.

Babbage's ability to provide a fully integrated range of services ensured a well-coordinated design and delivery approach across Project Management, Architecture, Planning, Structural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Building Services Engineering and Geotechnical Engineering.

In addition to design and delivery services, Babbage undertook a staged geotechnical assessment for the proposed extension. The team led a comprehensive field investigation - comprising machine-drilled boreholes and CPT testing - navigating the complexities of an inner-city environment with underground services, adjacent live operations, and environmental sensitivity.

Throughout construction, our team provided ongoing monitoring and technical oversight, reinforcing the project’s quality outcomes and resilience.