The concept for this workplace development is a relaxed stack of floor plates around a connecting atrium with a view.
The project defines the corner of Fanshawe and Daldy Street – the Gateway to Wynyard Quarter. Daldy Street – a linear park – runs along the western side of the building and connects with the harbour to the north.
The main entrance, cafe and retail tenancies face the park and allow people to spill out. This uplifting environment finds its vertical continuation inside in the form of an atrium. The atrium, most often located in the middle of a building and invisible from the outside, is revealed by placing it on the building’s southern façade.
This strategy suits the site given its highly visible position on the way into the city, allowing the public a glimpse into the interior of the building. It offers its occupants views to Victoria Park and its century old London plane trees.
The atrium is an occupy-able space with 25m long timber-lined bridges spanning the void to create airy workplaces with dramatic views. The bridges offer the flexibility of connecting with stairs to link floors together for larger tenants.
Occupants also have access to a north-facing outdoor terrace on level two which overlooks a laneway with balconies on the upper levels. These outdoor areas support the language of the ‘relaxed stack’ with white staggered floor edges on the east, west and north. The south facade differs by being flush with black spandrels – much like a section cut that reveals the inside of a building.
The building is NZGBC 6 Green Star As Built rated.
The New Zealand Green Building Council has published a case study on the project – Te Kupenga 155-163 Fanshawe Street
