Luxurious Bespoke Design to Expand Horizon's
Opportunities to work on a 305-room five-star hotel are rare, so when Furnz Group were awarded the project for SkyCity's new luxury hotel, Horizon, the project team were committed to delivering an unforgettable luxurious experience for future guests.
There was a deep desire from Furnz and SkyCity to offer something truly unique, ensuring guests would enjoy an experience unlike anything they would experience elsewhere.
Horizon is a place of connection where guests can expand their horizons. The brief was to create comfortable, welcoming rooms for professionals to recharge and unwind and for guests visiting Tāmaki Makaurau for pleasure, to feel pampered and surrounded by beauty and luxury. Every detail, from the custom-designed joinery to the furnishings and elegant fixtures, reflects this in every space.
With a 20-year professional relationship established with SkyCity, the Furnz team had gained the trust of their clients to deliver a design that embodied a New Zealand connection without being too polarising or divisive while also achieving a sense of stunning originality.
Creating a unique guest experience
Inspired by Auckland's dynamic Horizon, the project team developed a rich colour palette that reflects the shifting hues of the sky throughout the day, mirroring the view guests at Horizon would enjoy from their rooms and suites, creating a fully immersive experience.
A perfect harmony of masculine and feminine design elements and furnishings creates an elegant and comfortable environment for guests to relax and indulge in their surroundings. Every aspect of the design is carefully considered, from the tactile upholstery fabrics to the structural, sculptural lighting and bespoke custom-made furniture. The rooms delight and inspire while offering guests a warm and welcoming space to unwind. Beyond the splendour of the décor is the unique finishing touches, with every room featuring custom-made ceramic and glass pieces from a local artist that mimic sights from the spectacular views and natural textures of the environment, bringing the outside in.
Each public space at Horizon has been carefully designed to evoke a distinct mood and atmosphere with a seamless transition between them. Natural elements, tones, and textures are thoughtfully integrated to reflect the surrounding environment, blending harmoniously to elicit a unique emotional response. Beautifully crafted bespoke furniture and lighting define spaces and enhance experiences, with a deep consideration to bring New Zealand's natural environment into the overall design. Furnz successfully incorporated taonga into the hotel's design by sourcing ancient Kauri logs to create bespoke stump coffee tables for the lobby bar. The designers were mindful to retain the natural beauty of the original logs emphasising the stunning details and unique gum formations developed over centuries of growth. Each kauri stump was hand selected by the designers, ensuring that every piece showcased its individual character and history. Importantly, the hotel emphasises that the kauri is ethically sourced. All ancient kauri used in the project was excavated by our supplier between 2010 and 2014, ensuring compliance with the Ministry for Primary Industries' milling statement. Finished pieces are registered for authenticity certificates, allowing each table to be traced back to the farm using radiocarbon dating. Each table also features a plaque detailing this information, providing assurance of its ethical sourcing and connection to New Zealand's heritage.
Horizon's The Grill's restaurant's private dining room houses a spectacular marble table explicitly created to complement the vibrant carpet, with Furnz Group selecting complementary furniture that is impactful yet harmonises beautifully with the fixed finishes. 6-12 guests can indulge in the best local produce expertly prepared, in comfort and opulent luxury. Doreen McNeill is the celebrated contemporary abstract artist behind the artwork in the Private Dining Area at SkyCity.
"We want guests to feel relaxed, comfortable, at ease and excited by the wow factor".
Design Principal - Sophie Beever
An outstanding creative
collaboration of local talent
Working alongside architects Gordon Moller, and Warren, and Mahoney, Furnz commissioned a diverse number of local artists to create pieces reflecting their interpretation of the brief. The team drew inspiration from Moller's sculptural co-design with Jake Tindall, featuring 19 aluminium pohutukawa leaves floating up 12 levels in the hotel's glass atrium for artist John Allen's pohutukawa root installation.
The artist created beauty from havoc, collecting washed-up pohutukawa roots from Auckland's beaches after the cyclone Gabrielle - constructing one of the many original breathtaking pieces that adorn the hotel's walls and various rooms and spaces.
The project engaged with 60 local and international suppliers who helped Furnz deliver Horizon Hotels' luxurious one-of-a-kind finishes.
John Allen's pohutukawa root installation.
“You get the sense of quality as soon as you walk in and recognise the various spaces incite a different emotion".
Furnz Group Director - Euan Armstrong
Delivering a five-star experience
Furnz Group was responsible for furnishing 305 guest rooms and public spaces, as well as installing OS&E (Operating, supplies, and equipment) items sourced by the client, which required meticulous coordination of logistics and installation. To meet a fixed deadline, the team began planning eight months in advance; however, delays in construction meant that installation had to proceed concurrently with the buildings from Fletchers. With strict budget constraints allowing for no spare items, the pressure was on to install alongside various trades without causing any damage to furniture. Remarkably, the team succeeded in this challenging endeavour, encountering only a few defects along the way.
As Tāmaki Mākaurau's newest five-star hotel destination, Horizon by SkyCity strikes the perfect balance between luxury and comfort, business and pleasure, with Furnz Group successfully creating an exclusive five-star guest experience from the moment you walk in the door. From the stunning and inspiring public spaces to the serene beauty of the hotel rooms, there's no better destination to indulge yourself in the heart of New Zealand's largest city.
