56 | ARCHITECTURE T T Kim Newth Mall makeover shortlisted for prestigious awards Architects Preston Stevens and Craig McAuliffe will soon head to Singapore to represent their practice, McAuliffe Stevens, at this year’s prestigious World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards. The boutique Otago architectural practice has been shortlisted in two categories, ‘retrofit’ and ‘shopping’, for an inspired design transformation of O’Connells, a large commercial and retail centre in Queenstown. As the project architect, Preston is looking forward to presenting on a world stage next month, and showcasing the design that has given O’Connells a new lease of life. McAuliffe Stevens’ previous entry in 2021 also made the WAF Awards’ shortlist with another standout design, the Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Queenstown, but the Covid pandemic prevented an in-person presentation that year. “We’re a very small firm in the global picture, so it is stunning to have been shortlisted again for a WAF award, this time in two categories,” says Preston. “We’re not necessarily expecting to win, but the experience of going and watching others present their projects will be very worthwhile in itself. There’s a fantastic line-up of international speakers. We hope to gain some peer recognition from it as well as learn from others and see how we stack up.” Built in the late 1980s, O’Connells takes up a large site in Queenstown’s historic lakeside town centre. In scale, it is much larger than most of the surrounding buildings, having two retail floors, a food hall, basement car parking and a top-level commercial floor, all grouped around a central atrium. With constrained access at street level and prominent exterior mechanical plant, the centre’s retailers and commercial businesses had been struggling in recent years. O’Connells was also no longer compliant with current seismic codes. Owners Skyline Enterprises approached McAuliffe Stevens in search of a redevelopment solution to create a building worthy of its location and future visitors. McAuliffe Stevens Architects “We started out doing a series of feasibility studies ranging from a simple repaint and redecorate option through to demolition and starting again,” Preston explains. “From an environmental perspective, we didn’t think it would make sense to demolish such a large building and replace it. Instead, the decision was made to pare the existing building back to the primary concrete structure and completely retrofit it.” A new concrete frame, wrapping around the centre’s three street frontages, has boosted the building’s seismic strength and improved accessibility. From the street, the new-look O’Connells invites engagement. Large, frameless glass shop-fronts open the building up. Another striking enhancement is a new alpine-inspired canopy extending over the street front area. Above, a series of flowing copper gables – shaped to echo the rooftops of neighbouring buildings – add another layered level of interest. “Part of the brief was to minimise the maintenance burden as much as possible. We chose copper for that reason. When it ages in this dry alpine environment it will acquire a brown colour that’s very similar to the colours of the surrounding mountainsides. We really liked that response to the natural environment.” Inside, the central atrium element has been retained with improved natural lighting. The floors around it have been updated and reconfigured. Entranceways have been improved and a new lift and new bathrooms added to support world-class shopping and dining in the centre of Queenstown. The success of this renewal can be seen in the calibre of new tenancies, such as T Galleria by DFS bringing a new world of luxury shopping to Queenstown. McAuliffe Stevens has a small team of five, working out of Queenstown and Dunedin and covering a range of projects from residential and commercial to hospitality and healthcare. Adding to their success, the team has also won awards at the NZIA Southern Architecture Awards in each of the last three years. Jesse Ashton Design Ltd specialises in residential design. Designing dream homes T T Rosa Watson Jesse Ashton Design Creating a home that is everything the owner dreamed of is a passion for architectural designer Jesse Ashton. His Nelson practice Jesse Ashton Design Ltd specialises in residential design, with projects covering contemporary design, passive solar and renovations, along with consent documentation and 3D visualisation. Jesse started out in the industry in 2005 with a diploma in architectural technology. “Working under an architect was great,” he says. “I loved the technical aspects of design documentation, detail solutions and architectural design.” In 2016, a work situation change was the final push required, and Jesse Ashton Design was launched two weeks later. Since going out on his own, Jesse says he is enjoying the challenge in achieving the client’s needs and wants, budget, site and building constraints: “To meet with the clients, establish a clear brief, to carefully consider all aspects and produce a solution that can satisfy the client. It’s also important to give the client an outcome that they can attain that won’t result in them having to sell their dream home.” Since establishing the business, the scope of work has been interesting and varied, he says. “A number of alterations have picked up where other architects left off, including a 1980s’ Warren & Mahoney-designed home on the Nelson port hills.” Other work has included restoration work to a stunning 1920s’ heritage-listed house, and a more technical heritage alteration on the Nelson port hills, which was at risk of collapse due to unchecked subsidence. “The project required workable solutions at the outset just to confirm the project’s viability.” New home construction is always exciting, with a mix between typically ‘spec’ design and high- specification houses. “Ultimately, all jobs matter to the same degree. They all come with clients, which means in most cases the job is personal, with the end goal being to improve their quality of living and lifestyle, so there is a lot riding on the design outcome.” With Nelson fast becoming a sought-after place to live, Jesse is excited at the city’s future. “Like any designer, I intend to be part of Nelson’s architectural redevelopment in whatever capacity that may be. “With Nelson’s limited space, it’s clear that the city’s future will require a vertical move to multi-level, mixed-use commercial and residential buildings in the CBD, with high-density residential in outlying zones.” www.youbuild.co.nz info@youbuild.co.nz LET’SGET INTOUCH! R E S I D E N T I A L B U I L D E R S RENOVATIONS + ARCHITECTURAL BUILDS 03 5486833 FOLLOW US. Proudly Supporting Jesse Ashton Design 308b Queen St, Richmond info ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
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