Airport Business Park

The Airport Business Park is a prestigious TILT-SLAB CONSTRUCTION development at 92 RussLEy Road, Christchurch.  The client's key tenant requested a conventional office space that did not exceed two storeys in height.

The client required that leasing space be maximised within this tight parameter. The Engenium team set out to demonstrate that this was an achievable brief through innovative design, incorporating the structure within the architecture.

A large footprint was the obvious solution, but this in itself posed challenges due to tight constraints from the existing buildings and site set-backs. The Engenium team explored ways to successfully integrate the building within the existing residential environment that surrounds the business park, to control noise and light spill, but without the use of large solid walls. It was also necessary to ensure that the building was appropriate within the Business Park itself.

At the time of constructing Unit E, Unit D and the car park deck were also under construction, and the site was already populated with four office buildings. This created issues around the construction space available to work with, not only with regards to the design of the building, but also within the context of how the building would be constructed and what constraints the tight site would create.

With a government department as key tenant, the project had to utilise sustainable materials, be energy efficient and most importantly provide security for employees. The building was also designed to comply with
Wellington Seismic Standards and this significantly dictated the architectural design and elements that were possible. 

'Tilt-slab' construction was selected for the project. The result is a building that represents an attractive mix of contemporary simplicity punctuated with classical elements. From the exterior the building projects a feeling of an endless expanse of modern glazing. From within, an abundance of natural lighting is achieved through large south facing windows, drawing light deep into the building. Whilst the client's initial brief specified floor to ceiling windows throughout, this was revised at the designer’s recommendation and reduced window expanses on the north, east and west sides allowing for heat retention and the minimisation of glare. The buildings central core provides a seamless flow between spaces for the current tenants, but ensures flexibility for a multi-tenant lease in the future.

.