A new $40 million pavilion described as setting a new benchmark for retirement living in the Bay of Plenty has been officially opened today.

The Pavilion at the Pacific Lakes Village was a 2500sq m architectural centrepiece designed to transform community life for residents and is one of the largest community facilities of its kind in New Zealand retirement living.

Māori Development Minister and Associate Minister of Housing Tama Potaka officially opened The Pavilion today, addressing around 500 people, including tangata whenua, residents, local MPs Tom Rutherford and Sam Uffindell, Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale, councillors and project partners.

Pacific Lakes Village was a unique partnership between upscale retirement village operator Generus Living Group and Mangatawa Pāpāmoa Blocks Incorporation, the landowner, a statement on behalf of the village said.

“This partnership not only supports meaningful economic outcomes for the region but also brings a depth of identity and connection to place that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

“It is the same partnership that anchors the neighbouring Pacific Coast Village, whose residents will also join in celebrating The Pavilion’s opening.”

Graham Wilkinson, director of Generus Living Group, described The Pavilion as a world-class amenity with design excellence and sustainability at its core.

“Designed by architects Peddlethorp, The Pavilion represents the social heart of Pacific Lakes Village. It combines versatile function spaces for events, meetings and performances, a cafe and brasserie, lounge bar, wellness and activity rooms, and a new outdoor terrace overlooking the lakes.

“The Pavilion is a real celebration of what New Zealand manufacturers can achieve. Around 200 local Bay of Plenty contractors brought our vision to life over three years, primarily using mass timber elements which significantly reduced the requirement for structural steel."

The Pavilion would be blessed by the kaumātua of Mangatawa.

“This whare rests on whenua that has been shaped by the tides of the moana and the rich history of our rohe,” Mangatawa Pāpāmoa Blocks Incorporation director Blanche McMath said.

“As we gather here, we bring with us the values of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and kaitiakitanga that define our people.

“Above us, under our maunga, Mangatawa stands our marae, the heart of our community, holding our whakapapa and the generations who have cared for this place.

“Together, our marae and this Pavilion speak of who we are: a people bound to each other, to the land and to the enduring work of caring for community.”

Interior design firm Space Studio leaned into texture and craft to create an atmosphere that feels luxurious yet humble, with natural light flooding through skylights and across surfaces.

Fluted timber panelling and delicate metalwork add refinement without pretension.

Handcrafted New Zealand furniture, bespoke ceramics by artists Peter Collis, Iza Lozano and Stephen Lee, and the woven Kai Catcher artwork by Jasmine Clark anchor The Pavilion in craftsmanship and cultural storytelling. The pieces nod to the mid-century “Crown Lynn” era familiar to many residents, but each has been reimagined in a contemporary way.

Pacific Lakes Village and neighbouring Pacific Coast Village are home to more than 650 residents and employ up to 160 people, making the combined precinct one of the region’s most significant lifestyle and employment hubs.

The Pavilion would further be enhanced with the addition of a hydrotherapy pool and a fitness studio with construction commencing in mid-2026.

-Supplied content