Auckland CBD To infinity and beyond

The Seascape apartment complex will tower over the Auckland waterfront, writes Sandra Goodwin

Progress on what will be New Zealand’s tallest residential building has been advancing underground with excavation of a five-level car park .

The Seascape complex is already breaking records on several fronts. Says developer Shundi Customs’ project director Simon Ma: “This really will be the new gold standard for New Zealand apartment living.”

At 187m, Seascape, designed by Peddle Thorp Architects to tower over the Auckland waterfront, will be second only to the Sky Tower in height. Its 221 apartments, sub-penthouses and penthouses are being sold off the plans.

Says Ma: “The architects’ boldly iconic exterior design incorporates an external steel mega-frame with ultra-clear facade glazing inside giving every apartment unobstructed views.

“And the location of these north-facing apartments is unparalleled, located at Britomart in the heart of the city and all its amenities, and facing the Waitemata Harbour.”

While buzz continues over how the two-storey Level 51 and 52 master penthouse is expected to sell for $22m-plus, work is busy at the base of the building with the car park.

Prospective buyers can see for themselves what the complex offers in terms of views. “We’ve incorporated 360-deg drone photos into our virtual reality system so people can visit our display suite and see the views from each floor,” says Ma.

“You can imagine how spectacular they get with us being so close to the water, taking in all the activity on the harbour, the Harbour Bridge lights, Rangitoto, and looking right down the bays. It’s amazing, you can see absolutely everything.”

All residences have all-weather balconies. Level 47’s 335sq m dwelling has 112sq m of wrap-around decks. Two-storey, two-bedroom apartments incorporate a double-height atrium.

Says Ma: “Many of our luxurious facilities are going to optimise the views as well, such as our Level 37 sky garden viewing platform

“One end of our 25m-long heated pool will look out through clear glass, so you might choose to swim at night looking out at twinkling city lights.”

The building will incorporate a double-height lobby and retail and office tenancies. Car parking, priced separately to apartments, will include two levels reached by a vehicle lift.

More than 10 per cent of the apartments and two of the 15 penthouses and sub-penthouses have been sold, says Ma. Seascape apartments are scheduled to be completed by July 31, 2022.

Foreign investment is welcome because Seascape has an exemption certificate from the Overseas Investment Office.