1 Jun 2026
,Germany
New Zealand has unveiled the world's first aircraft maintenance hangar built entirely from engineered wood. Auckland's Hangar 4, opened by Prime Minister Christopher Lacson, is a significant example of sustainable and earthquake-resistant construction.
The airline says that "Hangar 4 is the Southern Hemisphere's largest unsupported timber arch" designed to operate in a seismically active region. The nearly 100-metre-long, 10,000-square-metre structure can accommodate a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and two Airbus A320/A321s.
The hangar's core is formed by arches made of glued laminated timber and laminated veneer lumber, manufactured by XLAM and Nelson Pine. Each truss contains up to 12,500 screws, and the 25-meter-long sections were pre-assembled in a factory and installed using the country’s largest crane.
The ETFE roof provides natural light and retains heat, eliminating the need for traditional heating. The seismically-resistant arches, connected by 250,000 screws, can deflect up to 300 mm during earthquakes, absorbing energy.
According to Tom Bruce-Jones of XLAM, the structure demonstrates the versatility of wood and supports the principles of sustainable construction.
XLAM used the DfMA methodology for design, supply and installation. Over 780 m³ of glued laminated timber and 580 m³ of plywood beams were used for the construction. The pre-assembled sections were transported 860km along specially marked routes.
NZ Strong manager Jimmy Corrick stressed that the design was deliberately designed for mobility: "You either create very rigid structures or ones that move a little and allow everything to flex."
