Aro Ha Wellness Retreat

Healthcare & Labs
Residential

Client: Aro Ha Wellness Retreat

Architect: Tennent Brown Architects

Project address: Glenorchy

Completion Date: November 2013

The eco-friendly wellness retreat is at one with its environment through on-site power generation, solar hot water, permaculture fields and on-site waste water treatment. 

The Aroha project is a wellness retreat providing various accommodation blocks, a spa, yoga facilities and a community building.

Low energy and self-sufficient design were key client drivers along with the ability for the site to operate off grid without the use of fossil fuels.

The resulting scheme consisted of optimising the building fabric to reduce heating requirements and then serving the site through renewable means, such as a biomass boiler and small scale district heating scheme, solar hot water system for the spa and various renewable systems.  Total renewable generation amounts to over 100kW (75kW of photo-voltaic and a 40kW micro hydro unit) with a battery back-up to cover times when the grid fails.

Water is provided via a bore pump and due to the aspirational growing aims of permaculture and high water demand, site wide irrigation tanks were fed from rainwater collection systems and a local stream. Waste water pipework has also been installed in such a manner to allow for future grey water recycling if required.  

Awards —

• 2016 NZIA National Architecture Award

• 2015 NZIA Branch Award

• 2015 Best Design Awards Gold

• 2016 New Zealand Commercial Project Awards Placemakers Tourism and Leisure Project Gold Award Winner

• 2016 New Zealand Commercial Project Awards Placemakers Tourism and Leisure Project National Category Winner