Ebb succeeds as an intervention within the fabric of Ōtepoti by extending the boundaries of its commercial site and brief. The bold incorporation of a grand-scale piece by Simon Kaan at the façade contributes art to the central city and functions as privacy screen, light sculpture and environmental control. The architecture questions hotel typology with a shared pedestrian walk-through at street level, a transparent public edge that introduces the casual luxury of the hotel beyond. A protected central atrium inverts the relationship of interior to exterior and creates gallery-like circulation spaces that transform into outdoor balconies and lounges. This structure suggests an adaptable architecture applicable to a variety of similar building types.