Comprising 92 apartments in two six-level towers, the Sargeson Apartments are located within the picturesque Auburn Reserve on the North Shore of Auckland.

Named after Takapuna’s most famous resident, Frank Sargeson, a founder of modern New Zealand literature, the apartment is inspired by both culture and location. Dark volcanic colours found throughout Takapuna were inspirations for the exterior materials, including zinc steel cladding, white stone and timber.

The exterior cladding is fixed to James Hardie RAB Board, a pre-cladding product manufactured from solid fibre cement right here in New Zealand. Project Manager, Marc Forrester of CMP Construction, says the pre-sealed sheets were quick and easy to install. They are simply scored, snapped, and nailed into place.

They are also dimensionally stable and weather resistant, allowing the site to be closed in faster and enabling more flexibility in managing the build. It will not warp or shrink when exposed to the weather and can be left exposed for up to 90 days after fixing.

RAB Board now comes in two thicknesses; 6mm and 9mm. Due to its added density, the 9mm RAB Board is suitable for use as a rigid air barrier in buildings where external noise needs to be reduced and was used in the Sargeson on the street-facing wall. The rest of the walls use RAB 6mm.

In addition to its superior acoustic benefits, RAB Board provides impact resistance and fire performance and meets the requirements of E2/AS1 and Specific Engineered Design in residential or commercial projects. It also creates a drainage plane and enhances the weather tightness performance of cladding and building facades, which helps new builds like the Sargeson Apartments to stand the test of time, a bit like Frank Sargeson’s novels.