Hangar 4 is a major aircraft maintenance facility built for Air New Zealand at Auckland Airport in New Zealand. The structure has gained international attention for being the Southern Hemisphere’s largest single-span timber arch aircraft hangar and one of the world’s largest aviation buildings constructed primarily from engineered timber. Designed by Studio Pacific Architecture, the hangar forms part of Air New Zealand’s long-term investment in modern engineering and maintenance infrastructure.

One of the most remarkable features of Hangar 4 is its enormous clear-span timber structure, which stretches approximately 98 metres without internal support columns. This allows aircraft to move freely within the building and creates a highly flexible maintenance space. The facility covers around 15,000 square metres in total, including a hangar floor of about 10,000 square metres along with workshops, storage, and engineering support areas. The hangar is large enough to accommodate one wide-body aircraft, such as a Boeing 777 or Boeing 787 Dreamliner, together with two narrow-body Airbus A320-family aircraft at the same time.

The building stands out because of its extensive use of engineered wood products, including laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and cross-laminated timber (CLT). These materials were selected not only for structural performance but also for environmental reasons. Timber is lighter than steel, performs well in earthquake-prone regions such as New Zealand, and is more resistant to corrosion in coastal environments. Most importantly, the timber structure stores carbon, helping reduce the project’s environmental impact. According to the project team, the use of timber instead of conventional steel construction reduced embodied carbon emissions by roughly 600 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Hangar 4 was also designed with sustainability and operational efficiency in mind. The structure incorporates an ETFE roof system that allows natural daylight to enter the building, helping reduce electricity use during daytime operations. Advanced climate-control systems, underground service pits, and energy-efficient engineering solutions were integrated into the facility to support aircraft maintenance activities. The project is targeting a 6-Star Green Star sustainability rating from the New Zealand Green Building Council, reflecting its emphasis on environmentally responsible construction and long-term operational performance.

The project is widely viewed as a landmark achievement in both aviation infrastructure and large-scale timber engineering. By combining advanced aircraft maintenance capabilities with low-carbon construction methods, Hangar 4 demonstrates how modern industrial buildings can balance functionality, sustainability, and architectural innovation.

According to the Internet