Our clients set a clear ambition: to bring together training, recovery, and community wellness within a world-class facility. More than simply a place for exercise, the brief called for a building that actively supports health and wellbeing through its spatial organisation, material selection, and environmental performance. Through a series of workshops and user group engagements, we worked closely with the client and operational teams to co develop a design vision that responded not only to functional needs but also to long term community, environmental, and social goals.
Catering to the general public, local and regional athletes and teams, the facility includes a 1,200-square-metre gym, a spin cycle studio, a group high-intensity workout studio, a 25-metre indoor turf track, high-tech recovery room, indoor and outdoor training spaces, treatment rooms, a mezzanine meeting and event space, and a hot-cold - or contrast - therapy zone with infrared as well as traditional saunas and plunge pools.
In the heart of Queenstown, Warren and Mahoney has delivered a sports performance facility that fundamentally reimagines what a gym can be - blending architecture, wellbeing and landscape to create a transparent training facility,
Through extensive workshops, close collaboration, and a two-way design approach, we helped evolve the project's brief to optimise the space and business opportunities, shaping a holistic vision for this innovative sports hub.
We engaged in extensive workshops with our client and all potential operators, and closely collaborated with staff and operations teams during the user group meetings. Together, we recognised that the primary goal is to create a holistic, health-conscious building that goes beyond the indoor spaces to consider the very nature of the structure itself.
In response to this aspiration, we designed a mass-timber building that prioritises passive ventilation and maximises natural daylight, addressing both carbon efficiency and health and wellbeing.
The Mill sets a new benchmark for mass-timber construction in New Zealand. Comprising 452 CNC-cut glulam components fabricated in Austria and installed with millimetre precision, this carbon-positive building champions wellness, sustainability, and architectural excellence. Early contractor involvement allowed the team to digitally resolve every detail, ensuring zero rework on site and delivering the frame five weeks ahead of programme. Its exceptional performance in design, collaboration, and sustainability showcases what’s possible when innovation, precision, and partnership align, establishing this project as a landmark in modern timber construction.
A shared commitment to natural materials shaped the design from the earliest conversations. Selecting a mass timber structural frame was a pivotal decision, enabling a dynamic, modular, flexible floor plan and supporting the project’s wellbeing focused design ethos. The timber is complemented by a restrained material palette.
Since opening in June 2025, The Mill has rapidly become a valued community asset. Its diverse spaces support a wide spectrum of users: travelling athletes undertaking intensive training camps, local residents engaged in fitness and rehabilitation, and young athletes seeking inspiration and professional guidance. The centre’s focus on inclusivity and holistic wellbeing has established it as a hub for community engagement and performance development.
This facility is hugely impressive. You have created a facility that people are going to want to come to, and they’re going to want to excel and push themselves.
