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.

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