Sentinel (building)

The Sentinel (sometimes The Sentinel or Sentinel Tower) is a luxury residential skyscraper in Takapuna, the central business area of North Shore City, New Zealand. The largest and currently only real skyscraper in the city, it has 30 levels and is 150 m tall including spire."Building towers over Auckland's North Shore" - "NZ Construction News", Volume 2, Issue 3, July 2007] It offers sweeping views over the Waitemata Harbour, the wider Hauraki Gulf as well as over to the Auckland CBD skyline. The Sentinel was opened to the first residents in February 2008.

The building contains 117 luxury apartments, with the uppermost two levels forming a masssive 675 m² penthouse, which has recently (2007) sold for NZ$ 11 million." [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=120&objectid=10461487 Tycoon buys $11m home but complains about NZ taxes] " - "The New Zealand Herald", Tuesday 04 September 2007] A communal area on level four includes a 25 m x 6 m heated swimming pool and spa, sauna and gym facilities as well as landscaped areas.

The building contains a number of motifs, from the square (used extensively in the glass facade proportions and in smaller details), to a woven flax basket (hinted at in the latticework of the facade) to the spire atop the building which evokes a sail, especially from further away across the Hauraki Gulf.

The Sentinel was built by Multiplex Constructions for NZ$60 million" [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/8/story.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=10402757 Cladding gets the big shove] " - "The New Zealand Herald", Monday 25 September 2006] and was given a non-notified consent by North Shore City Council because the idea of having a landmark building in Takapuna was considered very favourably when the developer Cornerstone Group first proposed it in 2003." [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/8/story.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=10492135 Shore residents get all high and mighty] " - "The New Zealand Herald", Wednesday 13 February 2008] The developer has also noted that the consenting regulations have since become onerous to a degree that he would not build the building again under current rules.

References

External links

* [http://www.thesentinel.co.nz/ The Sentinel] (official building website)