Cardrona Alpine Resort expanded into Soho Basin as part of a major terrain development, installing a new high-speed 6-seater chairlift to service 150 hectares of additional skiable terrain.

As part of this expansion, Breen was contracted to design and build a parking building to house and maintain the chairlift carriers and associated lift equipment. The construction scope included foundations, structural steel, cladding, drainage, and electrical services, delivered to meet Doppelmayr’s specialist lift equipment requirements.

The site presented a fundamental constraint: it was located in a remote alpine environment. With four-wheel drive road access limited by weather, the concrete had to be flown in by helicopter. The project additionally required completion within a tight programme to align with the resort’s winter opening.

Concrete placement required helicopter lifts, with buckets, along with roofing iron and other materials, flown in load by load to the site. Everything had to be coordinated around weather windows and lift capacity at altitude.

“Pulling off a project like this in the middle of nowhere is not straightforward,” said Project Manager Sean O’Connor. “You’re managing concrete placement by helicopter, weather delays, terrain constraints. You just can’t afford to miss a step.”

After the initial engagement, the geotechnical investigation identified the site had unsuitable ground. A rapid response from the Breen design team soon came up with a piled solution that ensured the program could be maintained to meet the opening date. 74 steel 200UC – 250UC piles were mobilised to site via helicopter and driven to depths of up to 9m deep.

Delivered and commissioned in time for the 2025 winter season, the completed facility now works behind the scenes to keep the new chairlift moving and the fresh Soho Basin terrain open for skiers and snowboarders to enjoy.

Client: Doppelmayr New Zealand / Cardrona Alpine Resort
Location: Soho Basin, Cardrona Alpine Resort, Central Otago

Breen team: Sean O’Connor, Project Manager | Ben Wilden, Quantity Surveyor | Pete Cradock, Site Manager | Annaliese Fox, Designer | Ross McCulloch, Wānaka Area Manager | Aaron Thompson, Project Manager