DRAG

The Ridge – Kepa Road

Belcanto delivered 42 Grappler balconies to The Ridge in just 18 hours – using a patent-pending facade connection system and a high degree of digital coordination to meet the challenges of a tight urban site and fast programme.

  • Products
    Grappler Balconies
  • Location
    Mission Bay, Auckland
  • client
    Cedar Contracting
  • Architects
    Archaus
  • Main Contractor
  • Completion
  • Project Type 
View from a balcony at The Ridge, Mission Bay, framed by a powder-coated aluminium balustrade
DESIGNED FOR COMPLEXITY, DELIVERED WITH SPEED

The Ridge presented the perfect opportunity to apply the Grappler unitised Hook-On balcony system to a private apartment project that had construction constraints. The concrete block structure presented constrained access in places, calling for a smart, offsite-first approach.

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Belcanto was invited in at concept stage by the client and Archaus Architects, a team we had collaborated with previously. That early engagement enabled us to co-develop solutions with facade engineers Oculus and structural engineers BGT, including a Hook-On patented connection detail that clips directly onto the facade. Free-draining soffits and a solid balustrade wall were integrated as part of the system’s overall footprint and performance.

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Working in a live Revit model, the Belcanto design team worked alongside the architects to refine the details digitally before fabrication began, adjusting as needed to meet both structural and aesthetic targets. The balconies were prefabricated with wood-plastic composite (WPC) flooring and finished with powder-coated aluminium balustrades. Manufacture was completed in partnership with Mulcahy Engineering, using the latest digital tools and quality control processes.

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With no need for tower cranes or extensive scaffolding, the Grappler system enabled rapid installation on a highly restricted site. All 42 balconies were installed in just 18 hours – reducing site disruption, supporting programme certainty, and maintaining architectural integrity. ‍

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‍Find out more

To learn more about our balustrade products and specification services, get in touch with our expert team.

View from a balcony at The Ridge, Mission Bay, framed by a powder-coated aluminium balustrade
View from a balcony at The Ridge, Mission Bay, framed by a powder-coated aluminium balustrade
Balcony with a solid balustrade wall built into the Grappler system at The Ridge
Stacked Grappler balconies across the facade of The Ridge, all 42 installed in 18 hours
Installing prefabricated balconies on a tight Mission Bay site without a tower crane or full scaffolding
Stacked Grappler balconies across the facade of The Ridge, all 42 installed in 18 hours

Products used

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Our clients and partners

What Our Clients say

The brief for the Resido Apartments was for a balustrade design that met all of the client’s design intents. This included balcony privacy, a fast build programme and a timeless aesthetic – simple, clean and crisp. The Belcanto system delivers that beautifully.

James Daulton, Project Architect
ASHTON MITCHELL

Balconies can be time-consuming, involving multiple trades. Coordinating all these elements can be a challenge for contractors. The Grappler system addressed this at Gulf Rise Village by handling all construction in the factory, ensuring quality control and simplifying the process with a single warranty.

Mark Crean, Project Architect
IGNITE ARCHITECTS

At Metlifecare Gulf Rise, Belcanto fixed 12 balcony units in a single day. The system allows us to complete the facade sooner, bringing down the scaffolding up to a month earlier, which accelerates work on adjacent civil and landscaping projects. It’s refreshing when something just works as planned, without any issues.

Garyth Jones, Project Manager
NZ STRONG

We’ve now used the Grappler system on three buildings for Metlifecare. Our client saw the value in how it reduced risk to the envelope design while delivering significant speed and cost savings. It’s proven to be a real success.

Mark Crean, Director of Living Environments, Aged Care
IGNITE ARCHITECTS
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