Duncan Cotterill Plaza

By +MAP Architects

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2015, Christchurch

Consisting of; a basement car park, ground floor retail/ hospitality space, and 3 levels of office tenancies, this was built to replace an office tower damaged by the 2011 earthquakes. The concept was to rebuild something with a similar floor area as the original but repackaged into a campus-style arrangement with a low lying form and a larger footprint. The remaining area around the building utilizes; green space, activity, and linkages to create a people-focused urban space.    

The building edge is shaped to be a continuation of the streetscape, running from Victoria Street and folding into the centre of the site towards a sheltered courtyard.  The northern wing has a large setback allowing the neighbouring Knox Church some space to be seen in prominence. A transparent, single-story pavilion encloses the courtyard, giving the opportunity for a hospitality tenant to occupy the courtyard and further activate the space.  

Photography credit: Stephen Goodenough + Patrick Smart

+MAP Architects
Canterbury

Products used in
Duncan Cotterill Plaza

PW1000 4 sided flush glazed unitised curtainwall
PW1000 4 sided flush glazed unitised curtainwall
By Thermosash

Professionals used in
Duncan Cotterill Plaza

+MAP Architects
+MAP Architects
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Thermosash
Thermosash
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About the
Professional

We create modern architecture that seeks to excite, lift the spirits, and create a sense of place. +MAP is a design-led studio, formed in Christchurch in 2001. The practice is a partnership between Huia Reriti and Simon Elvidge, and operates with an average of 15 to 20 staff.

We enjoy the continuity of involvement from Kerry Mason, founding partner of +MAP. We work on a broad range of projects across varied typologies, scale, and diverse locations.

The Team

Huia and Simon are supported by a core team of architectural talent consisting of Registered Architects, Graduate Architects and Architectural Technicians. The practice has grown year on year and enjoys a diverse portfolio of work; currently with 17 design staff allowing the necessary resources to continue to perform and engage with new projects.

Philosophy

We strive for creative, innovative, appropriate Architecture. We believe buildings have the ability to evoke imagery beyond the functional requirements and speak of the people, place and time that they engage with. A juxtaposition of intuitive and analytical design approaches informs a response that is regionally focused, contextual and functional.

Sustainability

We seek for each project to become a positive legacy for the owner, and for current and future generations. Sustainability and energy efficiency are core values of +MAP Architects. We take an integrated design approach, with a high level of collaboration between the client and consultant team, to ensure each project is sympathetic to environmental and programmatic requirements. The future flexibility and adaptability of each project is carefully considered.

Innovation

We approach each project as an individual challenge, with unique opportunities and constraints. A high level of collaboration with the client and consultant team informs an innovative and unique response. We consider these issues to be more important than working in a particular style and hope that each project will be an original interpretation of the client, site, brief and budget.

Collectively the Principals bring an impressive blend of design focus and detail experience to each project regardless of size and stature.