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COLORSTEEL® is usually tasked with keeping the weather out. In the case of Auckland’s North Shore-based Snow Planet the responsibilities went the other way. The job at hand was to keep the snow in at what is touted as the Southern Hemisphere’s largest indoor ski slope.

Baby it’s cold inside

Designed by pre-eminent and award-winning New Zealand architects Warren & Mahoney, the 10,000sqm Snow Planet acts like a state-of-the-art freezer.  

Built on the side of a hill surrounded by farmland, the white-as-snow Snow Planet nestles into the landscape with all the facilities needed for a ski run, including three self-contained tows.

STELTECH® Beams span the 40 x 200-metre ski slope allowing the skiers to move freely without obstruction. The walls and roof are insulated BONDOR® Panels fabricated from Colorsteel®. In keeping with the star attraction and facility name the colour chosen was an off-white hue called Titania.

Some clever modelling by engineers Sinclair Knight Merz showed the bare earth beneath the building (effectively insulated by a layer of snow) was sufficient to create a downhill run. The actual slope was designed by snow terrain experts, with the man-made snow set at a constant base of 50cm.

The temperature consistently sits at -5 degrees without the need for any extra materials or insulation.  

Beginners through to advanced skiers are catered for. The lower slopes are perfect for novices and children, while more capable skiers and snowboarders can ride to the top of the slope on the ski lifts that run up either side.

A cosy restaurant caters for the traditional après ski, and provides a burst of bright colour that is in stark contrast to the world of white on the other side of the looking glass.

Material: Colorsteel Endura® in Titania
Supplier: Bondor®
Architect: Warren & Mahoney

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COLORSTEEL® is made, tested and trusted for New Zealand conditions. We are inspired by the colours and landscapes that surround us and, in turn, we strive to create products that will inspire you. For more inspiration, visit www.colorsteel.co.nz

To learn more about the winning projects and professionals celebrated at our recent COLORSTEEL® Awards 2023, click here.

Our story started over 40 years ago when New Zealand Steel began making COLORSTEEL® roof and wall cladding products from New Zealand iron sand. It was a world first, and a feat that required imagination, ingenuity and sheer determination. 

These qualities have become COLORSTEEL® pillars - it’s who we are and how we work. 

For New Zealand:
We’re inspired by the landscape around us. From snow topped mountains to tussock grasslands, you’ll see New Zealand reflected in everything we create.

COLORSTEEL® products also undergo intense, long-term colour performance and exposure testing. So you can be sure they’re made and trusted for our conditions. We’re so confident in the durability of our products, we back them with robust warranties.

For you:
We’ve developed COLORSTEEL® products to meet the needs of New Zealanders. Whether it’s roofing your dream home, building a fence or cladding a warehouse– there’s a COLORSTEEL® solution for your project.

By combining beauty, durability and flexibility, we believe COLORSTEEL® is about more than just a steel solution - it’s about turning metal into magic and transforming the everyday.

For the environment:
All COLORSTEEL® solutions carry the Environmental Choice NZ licence which means they can contribute to the achievement of maximum points in Homestar and Green Star materials credits with NZ Green Building Council.