10:05 am today

The kiwi dressing buildings in Kaynemaile

From Nine To Noon, 10:05 am today
Kaynemaile on the outside of a Wellington retail building.

Photo: Supplied by Kaynemaile

Kayne Horsham's architectural mesh product had its genesis as a costume material for the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Two decades on, the unique, lightweight chainmail material has multiple uses across building and construction, has been sweeping up awards, and slowly cloaking buildings around the world.

Kayne came up with the Kaynemaile concept during his time as the artistic director of creatures, armour and weapons at Weta Workshop.

From its origins in costuming, the product's properties have seen it used architecturally indoors and outdoors; as well as its visual aesthetic, the material serves as a heat regulating building facade, and the RE/8 mesh product launched last year is also earning accolades for sustainability features.

In the US, Kaynemail has completed projects in five states, including at Santa Clara in Silicon Valley - where 1,000 square metres of Kaynemaile 3D kinetic screens cover an 800 space parking garage facade.

A major building wrap for a high-tech manufacturer has been unveiled in Belgium, and there are designs underway for retail and hotel installations in the Philippines, Singapore, and Dubai.

Also this year, Waimahara, a transformative urban artwork in Myers Park, Auckland, was unveiled - a mana whenua led, interactive sound and light sculptural installation.

Kayne Horsham's company, Kaynemaile, is based in Petone, Lower Hutt.