Shower trays from Allproof met the high standards of quality and finish at the 5-Star Cordis Hotel in Auckland.
Designed by New Zealand architects Jasmax to set ‘a new benchmark for modern luxury in Auckland’, Cordis opened their landmark 17-storey Pinnacle Tower in late 2021, boosting the hotel’s capacity to 640 rooms and making them the largest hotel in New Zealand based on room count. Built at a cost of $170 million, the Pinnacle Tower provides a new destination for 5-star luxury accommodation in Auckland.
However, behind the flashy exterior were many processes that brought together the best in NZ design, construction, manufacturing and commercial plumbing.
Designer Philip Rutkiewicz chose durable and trusted systems to give the best guaranteed lifespan for each fitting. Though the hotel was a concrete and steel structure, Jasmax was aware of the impact of building movement and the small but real risk that defects could have within such a large project. A small hairline leak in waterproofing, for instance, may take months, if not years, to become apparent and tracking the source can be complicated once the hotel is occupied.
Keeping these points in mind, Rutkiewicz considered the security provided by Allproof shower trays. The primary objective of selecting Allproof was to assure the clients that their investment and revenue stream were well protected and the systems met the hotel’s benchmarked standards for luxury accommodation.
The architectural team specified the Allproof tile over shower tray system for all 235 rooms of the extension.
Stainless steel shower trays boast excellent waterproofing features with the impermeable layer of fully welded stainless steel falling to a flood tested channel and spigot connected to PVC waste, practically eliminating any risk of failures or leaks in this high-risk area. Other options of impervious solutions such as exposed stainless or acrylic trays have limitations on durability in a high-use environment and don’t often meet the interior design style demanded by a 5-star destination.
The Allproof stainless steel tray is installed over the flooring structure and below the tiles, and the selected waterproofing membrane is run down the walls and lapped into the tray. The result is a fully watertight base below the tiles and behind the wall linings while providing the aesthetic of a fully tiled shower.
Allproof was engaged by the architects early on in the design process, allowing them time to plan the project. Allproof’s tile over stainless tray is usually custom fabricated to measure; however, given the scale of the project it became apparent another approach was required.
Allproof developed 13 tray designs after several site meetings with the designer, main contractor and plumber to work on solutions and specifications to meet the very tight construction timeline. Hawkins Construction’s site manager Nick Wright’s timeline saw them scheduling a slab pour every 7 days, leaving no time for individual measures for each tray.
In order for the other trades to move ahead on their work, Allproof laser-cut in-house templates of the trays to suit all room layouts. Steel framing and hobs could be formed to this template ensuring a perfect fit once the trays arrived, with no install delays. The template also included the ability to mark the outlet, allowing concrete cutters to make the floor waste penetrations and plumbing services to be brought to the point of the wastes.
Allproof helped develop a sample room for signoff from the overseas owner Langham Hospitality Group based in Hong Kong. Through this procedure, Allproof had the opportunity to refine the process and plan full scale production.
Hanlon Plumbing, who was contracted for the installation of the plumbing systems, expressed the importance of the schedule and deadlines. In order to meet the project’s demands, Allproof dedicated 5 staff members of their 35-strong stainless fabrication team to the production of the trays with their own in-house production timeline set to meet the one onsite.
Allproof’s fully equipped workshop comprising of – among other plant and machinery – a laser cutter, several CNC press brakes and a dedicated gluing room for the bases, meant that 235 tile over shower trays were fabricated over a 9-month period and completed ahead of schedule. Not a single tray was rejected.
This project goes to show that when the planning and selection are done right, the use of trusted suppliers and proven contractors will get the job done ahead of time, and with perfection.
