Little Creatures is the brainchild of long-time Ignite partner, Lion. Designed inside the historic Sunderland Hangar, the unique hospitality destination contains a microbrewery, dining hall, independent food & beverage tenancies, a family zone, and a cellar door where visitors can take away their own flagons of beer. Since its opening, Little Creatures has quickly become one of New Zealand's busiest hospitality venues.
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Working with the client, the design team’s goal was to give customers a hospitality space they had never seen before, with each distinct space having its own unique character within the hangar.
Stephen Parkes
“Little Creatures creates something special – a heritage building with a modern feel, a community venue, and a cool attraction. Designing it inside a repurposed seaplane hangar has been truly memorable.”
Completed in partnership with Cheshire Architects, the project has resulted in a successful re-occupation of an iconic military aviation hangar once threatened with demolition. The history of the building is woven into the design of Little Creatures in a way that supports its new functions. The redundant hangar doors were cut down and repurposed as zone dividers, and discarded hanger purlins were used for bar construction.
A carefully crafted mix of touch points were selected to feature within the hangar. The all-inclusive drinking and dining hall provides a welcoming space for the community to come together, while a family zone playground ensures that both young and old will be entertained within the space. At the heart of it all is the steely micro-brewery and beer operations; every detail of its operation open to the public - transparent, connected, and unpretentious.
All elements of the fit-out have been designed to support the brand story. Little Creatures, with its own heritage of celebrating the individual, now has a one-of-a-kind venue in Auckland that reflects its brand.
This project won a Gold Pin in the Repurposed category and a Bronze Pin in the Hospitality category at the 2019 Best Awards. It also won a Auckland Commercial Architecture Award at the 2020 NZIA awards.
Best Awards - Bronze