CITY RIL LINK (CRL)

When City Rail Link opens to passengers, many will notice the bold architectural gestures that define each station. Fewer will consider the years of planning, fabrication and installation behind the surfaces they walk across every day.

Across Te Waihorotiu, Karanga-a-Hape and Maungawhau Stations, The Tile People sourced, fabricated, supplied and installed more than 18,900 m2 of tile and stone finishes. Basalt, large-format limestone-look porcelain slabs with custom water-cut detailing and bespoke terrazzo were installed throughout concourses, platforms, entryways and public circulation spaces, each selected to meet the project's design and performance requirements.

Working deep below street level presented unique technical and logistical challenges. Large-format porcelain slabs were mechanically fixed using specialist installation systems requiring precise set-out, tight tolerances and careful coordination within a live construction environment shared with tunnellers, engineers and numerous other trades. Every stage demanded detailed planning, sequencing and skilled workmanship.

Many of the project's porcelain elements were custom water-cut before installation. Obery supported Grimshaw with product sourcing and specification, coordinating international procurement alongside New Zealand fabrication. At Maungawhau Station, salvaged basalt was reincorporated into the station precinct, connecting the finished architecture back to the volcanic landscape that shaped the site.

Behind the finished surfaces were our team of more than 110 tilers, labourers, site supervisors, project managers and quantity surveyors whose work extended over several years. While much of that effort remains unseen, it forms part of the daily experience of City Rail Link — the walls, floors and public spaces that millions of passengers will move through for decades to come.