In a statement, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora (HNZ) said the building’s "primary structure’’ had been completed last month and panelling was being hoisted into place using a spider crane.
HNZ outpatient director Andrew Holmes said parts of the facade had been built off-site as the large panels typically measured about 5m by 1.2m.
"Starting on the southeast corner, bricks have been used to mirror the heritage fire station opposite.
"These panels were created by assembling slices of red brick into sheets, a new technique for New Zealand that has been subjected to rigorous independent resilience testing.’’
Along the southern wall, large windows and cream porcelain tiles would be installed.
Some of those panels were removable to allow the installation of large equipment such as the MRI machine, and the addition of a future air bridge to the inpatient building on the other side of the road, Mr Holmes said.
More porcelain panels in shades of green and "golden sand’’ would be installed along with embossed stainless steel further around the building.
"These colours and textures speak to the cultural narrative and the natural environment where the building stands on the old Ōtākou shoreline.’’
Fins were also planned to project from the building.
The fins and window tinting would help keep it from overheating.
On the upper level louvre panels would be used to provide ventilation for the large mechanical plant and electrical equipment housed there.
All the materials used in the facade had been tested rigorously to ensure they could withstand extreme weather and natural conditions, the HNZ statement said.
"Our community can be confident that not only will the new outpatient building be a stunning landmark in our city, it will be a well-functioning facility whatever nature throws at us.’’
In February, the Otago Daily Times reported the outpatient building was set to be finished by mid-2026, about half a year later than previously scheduled.
The completion date of the inpatient building was also pushed back from 2028 to 2029 last year.
