Prime Property Group, Wellington 2009

Constructed in 1970, the twelve-storey Aorangi House building, situated on the edge of Wellington’s CBD, was completely refurbished in 2008, utilising the latest green building principles to give the building a new lease of life for tenants Beca.

Externally, a crisp new double glazed curtain wall system in black powder-coated aluminium, with striking red glass panels, gives the building a contemporary and vivid aesthetic. An innovative plaster system significantly improves its thermal performance. Sunshading louvres cover the building on three sides, providing extensive shading from the summer heat while still allowing the maximum amount of daylight into the building as well as panoramic views of the sea, city, and hillside.

Internally, the office floors were stripped back to bare concrete to maximise the ceiling height available and avoid the monotony of uniform suspended ceilings. The thermal mass of the exposed concrete also creates a more constant temperature throughout without the need for air conditioning. The building continues to utilise mainly natural ventilation across the open plan floor space. A restrained palette of black, white and minimal accent colours extends the bold coloured grid of the building’s exterior through into its interior.

Transformed by its new design into a contemporary, graphic feature building, Aorangi House demonstrates the way forward in renovating Wellington’s aging buildings through careful consideration of sustainable building issues and intelligent design interventions.