| 49 TOMRA: 50th anniversary HORTICULTURE Cullen Keiser Architecture’s drive is to bring more architectural design into commercial buildings. Company director Daniel Cullen says that paying more attention to the design of a building can help businesses to attract quality employees. A good example is a recent project completed for TOMRA in Hamilton. The building’s funky design stands out capturing the innovative nature of TOMRA. “It's a research and development centre so TOMRA needed an environment that inspired creativity. They wanted a building that would be unique, fresh and help them to be noticed on the world stage,” says Daniel. Pops of colour greet visitors to the building immediately on arrival. Inside an atrium with skylights brings in natural light. In fact every internal o ice bene its from natural rather than just arti icial light, says Daniel. TOMRA also wanted more of a community-based design to connect people within the building but also with individual areas for teams. The facility boasts a gym, café and generous covered outdoor area. TOMRA is also planting fruit and berries on the site for the company’s test facility, which has a mock up pack house to test machines. “TOMRA is an innovative company that is world renown so it was Pushing the boundaries important for Cullen Keiser Architecture to push the boundaries in the design. This project shows Cullen Keiser Architecture can work with world-renowned companies, taking a fresh look at how things are designed. Innovating on projects like this inspires us to do better.” Cullen Keiser Architecture was started in 2013 and is a small architectural irm based in Tauranga that works both nationally and internationally. It employs around ive full time sta . Daniel has just over 19 years’ experience in New Zealand and aboard. “Our passion is contemporary architecture using the latest materials and styles for commercial and top end residential buildings. We design places and spaces that perform with leading edge design and environmental responsibility,” he says. Cullen Keiser Architecture has won a number of awards for its work, most recently a 2022 Architectural Designers New Zealand award for residential new homes over 300sqm. Last year it won the same category. “We are incredibly lucky in this industry to be able to be innovative and creative. We always challenge ourselves to become better and push the boundaries, to express ourselves, ideas, and creativity on a building.” Hamilton facility a game-changer Karen Phelps A new facility has reinvigorated TOMRA Fresh Food’s connection with its customers, says Vice president head of innovation for TOMRA Fresh Food James French. “BBC Technologies was originally founded on a working blueberry orchard. This gave a great connection to day-to-day life on an orchard,” he says. “So with this new facility we knew we wanted to recreate that connection as well as provide increased space to meet demand.” Designed by Tauranga’s Cullen Keiser Architecture and built by Hamilton’s Foster Construction, the new headquarters includes a small test packhouse. The facility also has a 2ha research orchard and TOMRA is in the process of developing representation for all its key commodity markets: blueberries, cherries, avocados, apples, citrus, tomatoes and kiwifruit. It is using the expertise of Plant & Food Research, which has a number of test orchards around New Zealand. James says that the Waikato is special in that it exists at the intersection of sub-tropical and temperate climates. “There are not many places in the world where you could successfully grow all seven of those fruit.” The building is also offering a co-working space in some of the future growth area in the building, which can be utilised by outside businesses. TOMRA’s new Hamilton facility offers “a great environment to work in”. Photo: Craig Brown There is also significant manufacturing capacity with 3000sqm of factory space. It will focus on assembly and complement TOMRA’s Auckland facility, which has a larger manufacturing footprint. James says that the new building will also help attract the right staff” “Technology is a competitive industry. To encourage people to move from the main centres you need a compelling offering. “We now have a great environment to work in, easy to access to the new expressway and an orchard on site.”
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