Ngā Wai Ngaro, is a new acute mental health unit located on the grounds of Palmerston North Hospital. The building has been designed to provide a calm, home-like environment that connects with its natural surroundings, while also being durable and easy to maintain. Aluminium louvres for the facade were specified in a Metwood Light Cool Cedar woodgrain finish — a choice which adds warmth without the maintenance requirements of a natural timber. 

CCM Architects worked in partnership with local iwi and lived experience representatives to create a facility that would meet the needs of the community. “It is a purpose-built short term in-patient acute care unit,” explains Sheryl Lewis, CCM Architects. “It has been shaped using the principles of whanau-centred care, cultural responsiveness, and a safe recovery-focused environment.”

The building design features a folded roof form that conjures imagery of strong shelter, while also creating a link to the landscape. Expansive glazing allows light to flow into the facility and creates a strong connection to the outdoors. Balancing this, vertical louvres from Insol follow the building’s roofline to manage daylight in interior spaces, while minimising glare and thermal gain. It is here that a woodgrain coating from Metwood plays an important role in bringing warmth to the facade.

“We were looking to create a warm, welcoming entrance,” explains Sheryl. “For the louvres, we wanted a rich timber look that would contrast against the exterior cladding of the building”

Specifying a Metwood woodgrain finish allowed the designers to achieve that warm timber look without compromising on fire performance, durability or low maintenance — critical requirements for this type of facility. 

Unlike standard powder coating, Metwood uses a two-stage coating process to create photorealistic woodgrain finishes on aluminium substrates. This brings both the warmth and texture of natural timber to projects, without the higher maintenance requirements of natural timber. The system has a Class A fire rating for exteriors, and a Group 1-S rating for Interiors, making it suitable for a broad range of commercial projects.

The design team worked directly with Metwood who shared samples to aid with colour selection. They opted for the Light Cool Cedar woodgrain finish to bring a rich, warm accent of colour to the facade. Metwood also provided a project-specific warranty, and maintenance instructions to ensure the long-term performance of the system. 

Metwood’s close relationship with louvre suppliers, Insol, ensured smooth delivery of the woodgrain coated louvres. “Early engagement is key. Having our team and Metwood involved early means a lot of decisions can be signed off early and the project goes smoothly,” says Shane Hart, Insol. “We have worked with Metwood a lot over the years. They have excellent durability, superior warranties, and good back-up and technical support.” 

In addition to the louvres on the front facade an Insol louvre system was used to screen plant and service areas, discreetly concealing equipment without interrupting the architectural form. 

The result is a cohesive solution where both Metwood and Insol louvres work together to balance function, durability, and visual harmony, supporting a space that feels safe, connected, and purposefully designed. The high-quality Metwood woodgrain finish successfully brings the warmth of timber to the exterior, while retaining the durability and low maintenance of aluminium.

“The louvres add that layer of warmth”, says Sheryl, “while meeting the ease of maintenance requirements for the client.”

“The facade achieves what it set out to do, creating that warm welcome”, adds Sheryl. “The vertical louvres add a warm texture and bring your eye down to accent the human scale of the entrance.”