For many years, developments and homes in the Wakatipu have blended into their surroundings, with strict controls over the colour of exterior walls and roofs.
But Ngai Tahu's selection of a peach shade is in stark contrast to the natural schist exterior of the neighbouring Pig and Whistle, Guilty Bar and Queenstown District Court - three of its other buildings in the post office precinct.
Cr Macleod said it was a refreshing change.
"I did the original resource consent a long time ago . . . for that [the complex], and I don't remember colour being an issue.
"We weren't so obsessed with colour back in those days.
"I remember the days when it was all blue and yellow and pink and green.
"I'm not really into everything looking as though it's just been dug up out of the ground . . . [the colour] doesn't offend me."
Cr Macleod said the only criterion was that the colour be "sympathetic" to the building's surroundings.
And that was "in the eye of the beholder", she said.
"Even Michael Hill has painted his house.
"It's no longer that pinky colour.
"Whether he saw the light I don't know, but he wasn't required to change it.
"Good on Michael . . . hopefully, that will encourage other people to be a bit bolder."
The council's urban designer, Nick Karlovsky, said the colour was approved through the resource consent process by an urban design panel.
"I've heard from the architect that the colour is likely to diminish in brightness over time.
"Colour is, of course, subjective."
The approved colour was a paint, but the finished building was pigmented concrete, Mr Karlovsky said.
"The [paint's] colour was more ochre than the pink that appears now.
"It's up to Lakes Environmental to determine if it is a compliance issue," he said.
Lakes Environmental planning manager Brian Fitzpatrick said compliance officers had decided the colour was "close enough" to the approved colour, called "Beethoven".
