Location / New Zealand
People Involved / Warren & Mahoney
Photographer / Samuel Hartnett
Products / Custom Chevron & Allegro Brushed (Doors)

"In partnership with Precinct Properties we developed this new concept for their development team to roll out into all their premium grade properties. The brief was to create a single floor of smalls tenancies (no larger than 250m2) each with their own in-built amenities and meeting rooms, underpinned by a quality and aspiration that befits the development. The suites were to be of a consistent quality with the added flexibility for the client to tailor as they see fit.

We wanted to create a uniquely New Zealand experience. Given the elevation and positioning of the suites in Commercial Bay the original reference point for the design was native birds. Specifically, we referenced the Huia, an extinct species commonly found in the North Island. We were drawn to its subtle charisma and glossy black plumage with a green metallic sheen and long, white tipped tail feathers. The use of gold metallics reference the distinctive bright orange wattles, the dark tones and patterning of the timber floor speaks of the feathers, while the use of silk wallpapers brings a hotel-style experience to the space. We specified New Zealand made and designed products where possible – IMO kitchens, Simon James pendants, SF Design and Tim Webber furniture.

This is an innovative first for Precinct in a growing portfolio to bring different scales of workplace and types of tenants to premium grade buildings. A distributed model of co-working product and meeting suites, it enables smaller and more diverse occupiers to come into the development portfolio. It also uses commercial yield that might otherwise be difficult to lease. Essentially this is five tenancies on one floor, sharing common area with a boardroom and lounge for all to book and use. Tenants have access to book the Generator event spaces on L1, which means these smaller spaces are likely to live longer as growth can be accommodated in the shared facilities in the development. Shared, bookable spaces equate to less build and costs incurred by the induvial occupiers. The modularity and longevity of the fittings and fixtures within the tenancies lean towards long-term usage, as exemplified by the IMO kitchens, locally made, in steel, they are a robust kit of parts, easily replaced in components rather than full overhaul at the end of a lease." - Warren & Mahoney