Arterial Rd Queenstown

For the Queenstown Arterial Road project, Consol Construction partnered with Cancast Ltd to deliver colour and protective treatments that honoured both form and cultural meaning. Working closely within Cancast’s precast facility, the team refined colour palettes, design motifs, and concrete finishes using the ECOTONE Matt emulsion stain system to ensure every detail aligned with the project’s cultural narrative.

The process extended from workshop collaboration to final site completion, where Consol applied ECOCLEAN Ultra Graffiti Shield to protect the finished precast surfaces. This careful, staged approach allowed for full creative control while maintaining durability and long-term visual integrity in a demanding public environment.

More than a transport upgrade, the Queenstown Arterial Road is a project where design becomes storytelling. The new connection between Melbourne Street and Henry Street reduces congestion and enhances access through Queenstown’s town centre — but its impact runs deeper. The precast retaining walls feature integrated Māori artworks created in collaboration with Kāi Tahu artists, including Marlon Williams. These pieces represent whakapapa (genealogy), connection to whenua (land), and local stories specific to Ngāi Tahu. Through considered use of colour, texture, and protective finishing, these narratives are embedded not just in the design, but in the spirit of the place. The result is a piece of public infrastructure that balances technical performance with cultural expression — a corridor that moves people while also telling a story of place, identity, and collaboration.

We’re proud to have partnered with Cancast Ltd and Kā Huanui a Tāhuna (Whakatipu Transport Programme Alliance) on the Queenstown Arterial Road—an infrastructure project where design becomes storytelling.

The work reflects deep cultural narratives and values, from the representation of whakapapa to the connection with whenua. These elements are embedded not just in the design, but in the spirit of the place.

Together with Cancast Ltd in their workshop, we refined colour palettes, design motifs, and concrete finishes using the ECOTONE Australia & New Zealand Colour Stain system. This project was followed by Consol right through to the final anti-graffiti treatments using ECOCLEAN Ultra Graffiti Shield, working with both Cancast and Kā Huanui a Tāhuna (Whakatipu Transport Programme Alliance). It was a collaboration built on care, creativity, and respect.

Clifford Paul, Consol Construction Solutions