The seven high-spec townhouses were designed as freehold residences in a gated community, with each featuring open-plan living, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a double garage, and a ground floor office/caregiver/gym space.

With living spread across storeys, easy access between floors was essential in order to appeal to buyers across all age groups. This was achieved by incorporating a customised Powerglide Elevator, paired with a stylish floating timber staircase, as a central feature in each home.

“With the increasing trend to medium density living, more elderly are moving into multi-storey homes,” comments David Gaze, Executive Director of Gaze Commercial. “Having an elevator makes them feel more comfortable about the move. The Powerglide Elevators are the right size for domestic use and they work well. We’ve had no complaints in three years,” he adds.

The elevators feature a laser-cut, firmament patterned brushed stainless steel ceiling, with opaque diffuser, brushed stainless trims, mirrors and floor tiles matched to the home. Some of the owners also chose to add extra features such as lift phones.

Powerglide’s local manufacture was also a deciding factor in choosing the Powerglide E-Series. “Being locally made is a big plus,” comments Gaze. “Lead times are shorter and timing is far better controlled when compared with imported products."

The Powerglide team managed all aspects of design, build and installation, and had the flexibility to adjust the design on each lift to accommodate the slightly different lift shaft sizes in each unit.

Powerglide Elevator specs:

Model: Residential E-Series, 900 x 1200mm
Complies with: NZS 4334:2012
Weight capacity: 350kg
Lift configuration: Full call
Mechanism: Hydraulic drive with self-supporting rails
Speed: Around 9 seconds, floor-to-floor
Features: Custom interior, electronic safety curtain, safe exit in power cut, hand rail, low maintenance
Design and installation process: Managed by Powerglide’s specialist in-house engineering team
Design and manufacture time: 8 weeks
Install time: 2 weeks
Maintenance/servicing requirements: Maintenance-free for first five years
Manufacture: Manufactured in New Zealand using locally sourced materials and componentry