Late Lunch & Learn with TSA Riley: From Hangars to Harbours – Timber Innovation & Urban Transformation

Note: This is a hybrid event

For those attending in person the address is : TSA Riley, Jardin House, Level 6/21 Queen Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010

Online attendance is held on Zoom. Registrations will close 4 PM the day prior and the access link will be delivered shortly after.

About this event:

Join us for an inspiring hybrid Late Lunch & Learn session (online and in person) with two outstanding infrastructure leaders from TSA Riley, as they take us behind the scenes of some of New Zealand’s most ambitious and high-profile projects.

John McDowell – Air NZ Hangar 4
Title: Inside Air NZ’s Timber-Arch Hangar 4 – Design, Sustainability & Innovation
Blurb:
Explore the largest single-span timber-arch aircraft hangar in the world at Auckland Airport. John will share insights into the hangar’s sustainable design, advanced engineering challenges, and how it supports Air New Zealand’s operational needs.

Rachel Kirk – Downtown Infrastructure Development Programme
Title: Revitalising Central Auckland – Lessons from the Downtown Infrastructure Development Programme
Blurb:
Rachel will share insights from Auckland’s Downtown Infrastructure Development Programme — a multi-year effort to reshape the city’s waterfront and improve connections between public spaces, transport nodes, and the harbour edge. Her presentation will touch on the complexities of delivering large-scale public infrastructure in a constrained urban environment, and the stakeholder collaboration it demanded.

🔹 John McDowell will explore the design, sustainability, and engineering behind Air New Zealand’s Hangar 4 — the largest single-span timber-arch aircraft hangar in the world, currently rising at Auckland Airport. Discover how innovative timber construction is helping shape the future of aviation infrastructure.

🔹 Rachel Kirk will share valuable lessons from the award-winning Downtown Infrastructure Development Programme — a multi-year transformation of Auckland’s waterfront. Her talk will highlight stakeholder collaboration, urban placemaking, and the challenges of delivering large-scale public infrastructure in a constrained, high-traffic city environment.

This session is ideal for anyone interested in project management, urban development, sustainable infrastructure, design innovation, and real-world project leadership.

About the Presenters:

John McDowell - John is a Senior Project Manager at TSA Riley, currently leading the delivery of Air New Zealand’s Hangar 4 at Auckland Airport. This landmark project showcases innovative timber design and environmentally conscious construction. John regularly shares project insights and recently led a guided site tour for industry professionals, highlighting Hangar 4’s unique features.

Rachel Kirk - Rachel is a Project Director at TSA Riley, overseeing large-scale urban transport and infrastructure projects. Her recent projects include: for client Auckland Transport - the Downtown Development Programme and Low-emission Ferry Programme; for client Auckland International Airport Ltd - the Transport Hub; for NZTA - procurement leadership. As a Chartered Civil Engineer, she brings over 30 years of experience in delivering multi-disciplinary infrastructure projects across both NZ and UK.

PDU's available:

• Ways of Working - 0.25 PDU

• Power Skills - 0.25 PDU

• Business Acumen - 0.5 PDU

Course Identifier: PMINZ202512

PDU Claim Code:0129B8G0ZJ

Hosted by: PMINZ Auckland Branch