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Largest timber arch aircraft hanger in the South now open 

7 October 2025

With Pride, We Present: Air New Zealand Hangar 4 – A Landmark in Timber Engineering ~ We’re proud to announce the successful completion of Air New Zealand’s Hangar 4, a project that sets a new benchmark in sustainable aviation infrastructure and timber construction. Located at Auckland Airport, Hangar 4 is now the largest single-span timber arch aircraft hangar in the southern hemisphere, spanning an impressive 98 metres. This engineering marvel can house one wide-bodied aircraft (like a Boeing 777-300 or 787-9) and two narrow-bodied aircraft (such as A320s or A321neos) simultaneously. 

Constructed using 1,200 m³ of mass timber, including LVL from Nelson Pine and CLT by XLAM, the hangar is designed to withstand seismic loads, cyclonic winds, and coastal conditions. It’s will also be the first aircraft hangar in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve a 6-Star Green Star rating, reflecting Air New Zealand’s commitment to sustainability. 

This project showcases the power of collaboration and innovation. A huge thank you to our partners and the wider project team for making this vision a reality.

WoodWorks Issue – 07 Oct 2025

Welcome

Greetings from your WoodWorks team. Rarely do mass timber projects have mass public exposure, so it’s nice that the new Air New Zealand Hangar 4 at Auckland Airport can now be a conversation starter for ‘masstimberers’ to showcase what timber can do in many more places where people work, live and relax. Long may this landmark in timber engineering excellence be that icon!

  • The CLT (Cross-Laminated Timber) installation is currently underway at Menno Hall, marking a significant milestone in the structure’s vertical progress.
  • Stockholm Wood City is the world’s largest urban wooden construction project, covering 250,000 square meters in Sickla, southern Stockholm, with the first buildings expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
  • Meta plans to build three new mass timber data centres, which will account for nearly 10% of its current 28 data centres.
  • And now for something completely different — Interesting way to design a walkway truss: “It appears nature is stronger than we realise”.
  • Registrations are open for our national WoodWorks Conference, 4-5 November in Rotorua. To receive the Super Early Bird rate sign-up by 10 October.
Editor's Signature
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7 October 2025

Largest timber arch aircraft hanger in the South now open 

With Pride, We Present: Air New Zealand Hangar 4 – A Landmark in Timber Engineering ~ We’re proud to announce the successful completion of Air New Zealand’s Hangar 4, a...
Read More
Image
7 October 2025

Menno Hall CLT installation

CLT installation is now underway at Menno Hall, marking a major milestone in the structure’s vertical progress.⁠⁠Menno Hall is a unique hybrid mass timber and light wood-frame development located on...
Read More
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7 October 2025

Stockholm Wood City

Stockholm Wood City extends over 250,000 square meters in Sickla, in the southern parts of Stockholm, and is thus the world’s largest known urban construction project in wood. The new...
Read More
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7 October 2025

Meta has begun piloting the use of mass timber in the construction of its data center campuses

While we, as masstimberers, don’t often associate social media companies with mass timber, there is some indication they are willing to dip their toe into the potential for sustainable architecture...
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7 October 2025

Timber Byproducts in Fabrication

The Datum investigates accessibility in both materials and fabrication technologies. The project employs small-diameter, forking branches, an abundant yet underutilised byproduct of the timber industry and forest management practices, including...
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7 October 2025

And one to end on… The forgotten shoes

Arnold and his wife were cleaning out the attic one day when he came across a ticket from the local shoe repair shop. The date stamped on the ticket showed...
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