Masterspec
23 Apr 2026
AI Risk, Verification and Trust in New Zealand Construction Documentation
The increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in construction documentation presents both opportunities and risks for the New Zealand...
31 Mar 2026
Masterspec Specified: 211 High Street by Ignite
211 High Street transforms the iconic Excelsior Hotel site into a high-quality, sustainable, commercial mixed-use building. The ground floor features...
25 Mar 2026
Why AI Changes How We Trust Construction Specifications
AI has not created the risk of inaccurate or misused construction specifications, but it has made that risk faster, easier to scale, and harder to...
04 Mar 2026
2025 Building Code Update and Building Product Specifications
On 28th July 2025, MBIE's Building Product Specifications (BPS) document came into effect. This document, to be read alongside the Acceptable...
19 Nov 2025
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15 Oct 2025
Masterspec Specified: Air New Zealand Hangar 4 by Studio Pacific Architecture
The project was designed to meet Green Star environmental standards and includes advanced cladding, roofing, and mechanical systems tailored for...
10 Oct 2025
Bridging the Gap: Empowering Better Specifications for Builders
At this year’s Constructive Conference in Auckland, we asked every delegate we spoke with: “What can we do to improve construction documentation and...
24 Sep 2025
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New Zealand’s construction sector has taken a major step providing New Zealand-centric carbon data with the launch of the first release of NECO₂ – the...
22 Sep 2025
Masterspec Specified: Award Winning Bryndwr House One by AO Architecture
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22 Sep 2025
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Nestled in the remote Craigieburn Valley of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, Sugarloaf at Flockhill is more than a restaurant — it’s an architectural...
12 Sep 2025
Masterspec Specified: Award Winning He Whare Hono ō Tūwharetoa by DCA Architects of Transformation
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08 Sep 2025
Masterspec Specified: Award Winning Terrace 12C by Bassett-Smith Architecture
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08 Sep 2025
Masterspec Specified: Award Winning Miller Residences by Oliver Andrew Associates
In the heart of Auckland, the Miller Residences by Oliver Andrew Associates stand as a refined example of contemporary multi-unit housing — where...
01 Apr 2025
Document Referencing and Scheduling with eCert
Our editor team has updated all Masterspec work sections which have references to environmental documents. Where environmental document references...
27 Mar 2025
Update Manager New Features
The new Update Manager features are designed to boost productivity when applying changes to updated work sections. Simplify work section updates with...
03 Mar 2025
CIL is Now Accepting Product Carbon Data for the National Embodied Carbon Data Repository for Construction.
CIL Masterspec is now accepting carbon information in the form of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) or Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) from...
06 Jan 2025
Carbon 2025 and Beyond: Building a More Sustainable Future for NZ Construction
In July 2024, Construction Information Ltd (CIL) and the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ) announced a partnership to develop a...
01 Nov 2024
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As the New Zealand construction industry increasingly focuses on sustainability and carbon reduction, there is a growing need for tools that can help...
26 Sep 2024
Masterspec Specified: Manawa House by Cube Architecture
"Masterspec has been an indispensable tool for our project Manawa House. During the specification, Masterspec streamlined our entire specification...
26 Sep 2024
Masterspec Specified: Award Winning Ligar Bay Bach by Young Architects
"Masterspec was used for providing a detailed, fully customised, specification as part of our comprehensive project documentation for the Ligar Bay...

Masterspec Specified: 211 High Street by Ignite

31 Mar 2026

One of the latest additions to New Zealand’s built environment is Ignites new 211 High Street project, which transforms the iconic original Excelsior Hotel site into a quality, sustainable, commercial mixed-use building. The ground floor features a sizable hospitality and retail space, while the upper levels house office space, complemented with a basement carpark.

The innovative, sustainable structure incorporates glulam timber beams and columns, with cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels forming the floor structure—materials that require only a fraction of the embodied energy of comparable alternatives. The building also features passive ventilation, efficient low-cost mechanical installations, and an inviting open atrium with a feature staircase and full-height green wall for the new occupants to enjoy.

The Ignite team worked closely with the fitout design teams to ensure the fitouts remained aligned with the base build. Some of the key project goals was to deliver high-quality facilities, including a fine-tuned daylight work environment and exceptional working conditions for all the tenancies.

 

Project details

Project 211 High Street
Location 211 High Street, Christchurch Central City        
Client Portus Property Ltd
Designer Multiple Designers from Ignite 
Practice Ignite
Photographer    Jono Parker and In Motion Post
Source Ignite
Masterspec Specified Badge

Paul De Leeuw shared his thoughts on working with the Masterspec Platform to deliver one of Ignites newest and most innovative designs for Christchurch City. 

"Throughout the design of 211 High Street, we used Masterspec alongside MasterKey to keep our drawings and specifications aligned. By linking specifications directly to drawing annotations, we maintained accuracy across both documents, streamlined our workflow, and reduced the amount of checking needed.

Masterspec is essential for compiling the Green Star evidence we needed to help achieve a 6 Green Star rating, and it supported our staged consent process by keeping information consistent through each consenting stage. 

The broad product selection and built-in supporting documentation helped us understand installation requirements early. Regular updates to reflect building code and supplier/manufacturer changes meant we could stay current, ultimately saving time and reducing errors."

-  Paul De Leeuw, Registered Architect, Ignite

 

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