Mānawa Bay, previously known as The Auckland Airport Fashion Outlet Centre, is a new premium fashion outlet centre located at the Auckland Airport’s precinct.
Auckland International Airport Limited (AIAL), the owner and operator of Auckland Airport, announced the project in August 2021, with an objective to create a retail and dining hub with convenient transport links.
Construction works began in March 2022, and Mānawa Bay was opened to the public in September 2024. It is the first-of-its-kind centre in New Zealand that offers a new shopping experience for locals and travellers. With an investment exceeding NZ$200m ($138.4m), the project intends to boost the airport’s commercial value.
The project created around 600 construction jobs as well as new retail and hospitality employment opportunities.
Manawa Bay location
Located on Auckland Airport’s northeastern side, the centre is accessible via a main arterial route with public transport options and parking at the former Aviation Golf Club’s southern end.
Situated at Ray Emery Drive near Mangere, a residential suburb of Auckland, around 21km from Auckland city centre, the site is well-connected by bus, shuttle, and taxi, making it attractive to outlet shopping brands.
Auckland Airport, the third busiest in Australasia, developed more than 500,000m² of property within its precinct, valued at more than NZ$2.7bn ($1.69bn).
The portfolio includes offices, a business park, hotels, warehouses, leisure, and recreation facilities, plus a retail and F&B portfolio with more than 120 stores across its terminals.
Auckland Airport invested NZ$160m ($110.7m) to enhance the road network around the precinct, facilitating smoother vehicle access to terminals.
Manawa Bay outlet centre details
Mānawa Bay, developed on a 12ha land area, includes 35,000m² (376,736.8ft²) of retail and associated spaces, accommodating 115 units for retail and food and beverage (F&B) uses. It also features 1,400 car parking spaces.
The retail centre features a mix of local and international brands, with retail spaces ranging from 50m² to 1,500m².
Community-focused facilities on site include changing places amenities, parent rooms and lockers for travellers. The development also provides back-of-house storage for tenants, along with offices, staff facilities and end-of-trip amenities for centre management.
Beyond the new parking provision, the project incorporates modified intersections, altered road layouts and pedestrian links to nearby public transport to support access.
Retail and entertainment facilities
Brands such as Hoka, Guess and Timeless Watches announced their first New Zealand stores at Mānawa Bay.
Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Swarovski and Helly Hansen have also added their new retail outlet locations to further expand their presence in New Zealand.
Additionally, brands including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger decided to open their largest New Zealand outlets, while Nike brand agreed to lease 1,500m² space at the retail centre.
Other retail brands include Adidas, Huffer, Coach, Converse, FILA, Flo & Frankie, Hype DC, Icebreaker, Lorna Jane, Hurley, Bendon, Brooks, Macpac, Platypus and Levi’s.
Manawa Bay design details
The centre’s design is inspired by the regional landscape with mangrove‑inspired motifs cast into the precast concrete panels along with striped cladding that adds texture.
The F&B zone is positioned on the eastern side of the shopping centre and features a timber ceiling treatment with daylight entering through a folded skylight.
The dining area offers a water-facing ambience with open, light-filled spaces and a figure-of-eight layout reflecting the theme of flight.
Central F&B areas lead to alfresco dining and play areas with views of mangroves. This area connects to outdoor seating and landscaped open space, with a children’s play area overlooking the Pukaki waterway.
The interiors feature soft furnishings, timber furniture and polished concrete floors.
Auckland Airport’s sustainability goals
Mānawa Bay achieved a five-star Green Star rating, underscoring its dedication to eco-friendly practices and the integration of renewable energy throughout its premises.
In pursuit of its environmental goals, Mānawa Bay focused on enhancing energy efficiency, promoting superior indoor air quality, minimising waste, curtailing emissions, advancing water conservation efforts, and utilising more eco-conscious construction materials.
Additionally, the centre has set an objective to reach net–zero carbon emissions by 2030.
Mānawa Bay’s facility features a 2.3MW solar rooftop panel setup, which is considered to be New Zealand’s most expansive rooftop solar installation. The solar array is projected to generate more than 80% of the electricity required for the centre’s operations.
The retail facility also uses sustainable water systems, including stormwater tanks and raingardens, to protect the coast and reduce water use.
Contractors involved
Savory Construction led the construction of the retail facility, while TRCB Architects, along with local subconsultant Eclipse Architecture was responsible for the design of the Mānawa Bay.
RDT Pacific managed the project from start to finish, providing project management, engineer to contract and sustainability advisory services.
Other contractors involved in the project include Featurecraft, Savory Joinery, Metro Interiors, RoofLogic and Stevensons Concrete, as well as, Monarc, Coll Electrical, Esco Industries, Panelab, Mulford New Zealand, also, Gess, Polished Concrete and Revolve Energy.