| 47 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT GHD Design Industrial Commercial Residential “Quality Solutions delivered on Time” INVERCARGILL QUEENSTOWN DUNEDIN CHRISTCHURCH contractors of choice Painters & Decorators JAMES WREN & CO LTD 50 Carroll Street PH: 03 477 9384 www.wrens.co.nz EST 1896 Contracting • Painting, Decorating • Programmed Maintenance • Tiling • Solid Plastering ICON provides all the trades and experience you need to complete your interior fit-out project in a single contractor. One team for all interior construction solutions. CONSTRUCTION Interior 022 470 2485 interiorconstruction.co.nz T T Kim Bowden Acclaim for building transformation From the outset, GHD worked with mana whenua, Kāi Tahu artists and Dunedin-based consultancy, Aukaha, to incorporate cultural narratives into the design. A former large-format retail building in central Dunedin has been transformed into Aonui, the new headquarters for Otago Regional Council (ORC). Now a finalist in two categories at the Design Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards, the adaptive reuse project brings together civic services, contemporary workplaces and operational facilities on a renewed urban site. Located at the intersection of High and Maclaggan streets, the building was formerly occupied by The Warehouse. It now accommodates approximately 300 council staff together under one roof, returning a substantial daily workforce to a previously vacant property. Aonui also allows the public to easily access council services, including paying rates, topping up Bee Cards and applying for consents. A dedicated Council Chamber provides space for public meetings. “We aimed to retain as much of the existing steel and concrete structure as possible, using the original frame as the foundation for the building’s next chapter,” director of architecture at GHD Design, Anton Tritt, says. “The central atrium became the key intervention, bringing daylight into the centre of the floorplate, improving orientation and connecting the workplace across levels. “Retaining and adapting the structure helped manage costs, minimise demolition waste and embodied carbon, and preserve the scale and character of the former warehouse. New elements, including the cross-laminated timber mezzanine, were introduced only where they delivered clear functional, environmental or spatial benefits.” The building also houses operational facilities supporting ORC’s regional work, including a field-testing laboratory, workshops, archives and storage. The ground floor includes car and bicycle parking, along with end-of-trip facilities for staff that cycle or walk to work. A new lift and stairs improve accessibility and circulation throughout the building. Environmental upgrades include a raised-floor system that delivers conditioned air from below, while improved insulation to the exterior and roof reduces heat loss and improves comfort. From the outset, GHD worked with mana whenua, Kāi Tahu artists and Dunedin-based consultancy, Aukaha, to incorporate cultural narratives into the design. Two large exterior panels designed by artist Ephraim Russell depict the awa flowing through Dunedin, with particular reference to the Toitū awa beneath Maclaggan Street. Anton says early collaboration “allowed cultural narratives and values to shape the architecture, rather than be applied later as decoration”. “The result is a cohesive civic building that expresses mana whenua identity, connects strongly to its setting and gives Aonui a distinctive, enduring sense of place.” Outside, a landscaped courtyard and public recycling facility add to the building’s community role. This steady activity increases foot traffic, supports nearby businesses and replaces an inactive frontage with a visible, accessible civic presence,” Anton says. “By demonstrating how an existing commercial building can be successfully adapted for contemporary public use, Aonui also signals confidence in the area and provides a catalyst for further investment, development and urban renewal.”
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