8 | Haarlem Build Showcasing a wealth of expertise The family-owned Kapiti Coast company has been working on the project since May 2025. A new eight-home development at Parkwood Retirement Village in Waikanae is showcasing the breadth of expertise Haarlem Build brings to complex residential projects, from design and planning through to construction and project management. The family-owned Kapiti Coast company has been working on the project since May 2025 with construction beginning in mid-July. The development is expected to be completed by July 2027. It is delivering the project as a design-and-build contract, taking responsibility for the design of the homes and overall development, civil construction and coordination of the wider project. “We have done a few projects with Parkwood previously and worked with local firm AD Architecture so it was a good partnership for this project as well and they came up with an overall site layout and individual designs for the homes,” explains Nick Robbers, one of the directors of Haarlem Build. The eight single-storey homes, each around 160sqm, have been individually designed, with most featuring three bedrooms or two bedrooms plus a study and double garages. Nick says each home is slightly different but also shares a cohesive aesthetic, using Nu Wall aluminium cladding and Accoya grey hardwood to create a natural, contemporary palette. Nick says the long standing relationship with Parkwood has given Haarlem Build an understanding of the retirement village environment and the importance of careful planning when working around existing residents. “Change can be particularly challenging in a retirement village where residents are accustomed to familiar surroundings. For example the Parkwood site contained established trees, which, while not protected, had high sentimental value and needed to be removed with consideration for residents and the surrounding environment. Now that these trees are gone a higher-value native bush behind them can be enjoyed by residents and others now have more natural light in their homes,” says Nick. Noise is also carefully managed because work is taking place within an occupied retirement village. The site’s proximity to wetlands has required the construction team to maintain a clean and tidy site and ensure construction activity does not adversely affect the sensitive area. Around eight to nine Haarlem Build staff are currently working on the Parkwood project, supported by a wider company team of about 15 people. 16 Manchester Street, Paraparaumu 5032 | | | kitchenswithzest.co.nz info@kwz.co.nz 04 902 9988 Beautifully Crafted Bespoke Kitchens. Complete joinery solutions, we design, manufacture and install your custom spaces. What are you waiting for? CustomCabinetry - Kitchens - Laundries - Wardrobes - Refaces “This is our speciality - running with projects of this size and delivering them successfully,” says Nick. “The right management structure, team and relationships with the right consultants and wider team are needed to pull this off. We are able to get things done very efficiently to a very high standard.” Founded in 2007 by Nick and Kelly Robbers, Haarlem Build was later joined by Nick’s cousin Tristan McDonald and his wife Michele. The company takes inspiration from Nick and Tristan’s grandfather, a Dutch ARCHITECTS T TKaren Phelps architect from Haarlem whose architectural practice began in the 1940s. Recognised as Master Builders, Haarlem Build’s expertise also extends to consulting, planning, project management and advisory services, working closely with architects, planners, consultants and specialist trades to manage projects from conception through to completion as it has on the Parkwood project. The company undertakes both residential and commercial work, ranging from around $500,000 to multi-million-dollar developments, and offers bespoke as well as modular design options. It is also currently working on an architectural new build in Raumati South and another at Te Horo Beach and is in the preliminary design stages of its own fivehome development in Waikanae, which is expected to go to market later this year. “It will offer great value to people looking for a new home and is a return to the development scene for us, which is very exciting.”
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