Meridian Building, Site 7, Wellington
Concrete3 Sustainability Award of Excellence, 2009
New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards for Sustainability and Clean Technology,2009 NZIA New Zealand Architecture Award, 2009
NZIA New Zealand Architecture Medal Finalist, 2009
NZIA Local Award, 2008
ACENZ – Gold Award of Excellence, 2008
Winner of two Property Council New Zealand Awards, 2008
SBN - Local and National Design and Innovation Award, 2008
Site 7 is a simple and striking new office building located in the Kumutoto precinct. While dramatic it nestles into its waterfront location and is respectful of its heritage neighbours.
The Site 7 building consists of a ground floor containing publicly accessible activities. Three levels of office accommodation sit above the ground floor.
The overall form and massing of Site 7 has been designed to fit into a masterplan of infrastructure and buildings that create a precinct defined by existing Sheds 11, 13, the Steamship Wharf building (relocated Greta Tavern) and proposed Sites 8 & 9. The building is seamlessly integrated into its surrounding environment and is a key element in the future development of the area.
The Site 7 building has been articulated as two separate forms in order to reduce its overall scale and relate it more appropriately to its waterfront site and surrounding built context.
The top floor of the pavilion has been set back from the edge on all sides of the floors below in order to reduce the bulk of the building. The folding roof is also used as a modern interpretation of the varied roof forms that are present in many of the sheds currently on the waterfront and helps to relate this portion of the building to the surrounding context.
The smaller curved portion of the building, or annex, that sits closer to Shed 13 is expressed as a solid volume in order to link to the neighbouring Sheds 11 & 13. The apparent solidity of this portion of the building also acts as a counterpoint to the seaward volume by creating a solid ‘anchor’ to the lightness of the pavilion. External louvres that cover the exterior glazing of this portion of the building are both rich in colour and texture in an effort to relate to the rich colours and textures of the surrounding sheds. The top floor of the annex has been set back and sits like a lantern above the louvred screen relating to the roof lights of the neighbouring Sheds 11, 13 & 5 helping to tie the building to its surrounding context. (In association with Peddle Thorp Architects, Auckland)
For more information, please visit the Meridian Building Project website.
Client: Dominion Funds Ltd.
