Business South October 2020

| 73 Herriot Melhuish O’Neill Architects ARCHITECTURE RESIDENTIAL PLUMBING COMMERCIAL PLUMBING 24 hour PLUMBER I I I I I ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A CHRISTCHURCH PLUMBER? REGISTERED MASTER PLUMBER, MEMBER OF NZPDG & PGDB 027 457 1323 www.rexbeazerplumbing.co.nz rexbeazerplumbingltd@hotmail.com  Creating efficient, flexible workplaces T Kelly Deeks W orking on the interior fit-outs for Trade Me in Christchurch (2018), Wellington (ongoing) and Auckland (2016) has allowed Herriot Melhuish O’Neill Ar- chitects (HMOA) to build a strong relationship with its client and understand very quickly the company’s expectations and culture. This has led to an early focus on collabora- tive meeting rooms and breakout spaces, and more recently, an innovative ‘quiet room’ to accommodate new mothers and their babies. HMOA Christchurch director Duval O’Neill believes this type of ‘quiet room’ may well become commonplace in offices of the future. “Trade Me has always been at the forefront of the evolution of work spaces,” he says, “Its philosophy is around flexibility and being able to accommodate everybody.” HMOA’s approach to the fit-out was inspired by the curvilinear nature of the ANZ Centre’s facade. In 2018 HMOA undertook the Trade Me fit-out in Christchurch for its longstanding client. “We have the ability to service Trade Me across the regions because we also have offices in the same places,” says Duval. Trade Me has had a presence in Christ- church for several years and its move into level three of the ANZ Centre on Cashel Street at 400sqm provides more space for future growth. HMOA’s approach to the fit-out was inspired by the curvilinear nature of the ANZ Centre’s façade. “We created two curved volumes which cling to the edges of the space, while the centre is left open for flexible workspaces,” Duval says. “The volumes are clad in vertical ply battens and coloured panels.” The construction of Trade Me Christ- church’s fit-out included fantastic co-ordina- tion by the project’s main contractor, Image Construction. Special mention should also be made of the work by Redwood’s Finesse Joinery who made a great job of the timber fin cladding for the curved volumes, and of Rex Beazer Plumbing who was able to perform some gymnastics with the fit out’s plumbing services, pumping water up and over a fire wall to allow for the kitchen to be placed in the perfect spot. The Christchurch fit-out was designed well before the Covid lockdowns and it’s interest- ing to consider it now in light of how workplac- es are going to evolve. “They’ll be as busy as they used to be, but they still need to be flexible for people to be either at home or in the office; they need to be adaptable,” Duval says. “An office culture is often designed around everyone being together in the office, and the flexibility of an open workspace allows for that. People can come in from home and hook into a hot desk, and still have the flexibility of that open environment.” HMOA is now working with Trade Me on the expansion of its Wellington fit-out. “We created two curved volumes which cling to the edges of the space, while the centre is left open for flexible workspaces.”