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70-76 Moorhouse Avenue

 

Unique for being the first commercial building designed and constructed in Christchurch following the 4 September 2010 earthquake, the client's brief was the development of an attractive multi-use office/retail space.

 

The result; a clean, minimalistic-looking corporate office and high-spec retail space with a contemporary, uncluttered street facade.

 

The development consists of:

  • 4 separate buildings
  • On-site café with outdoor area
  • 160 on-site car parks

 

Following commencement of the building at 76 Moorhouse Avenue, the client requested provision of two further buildings, both to mirror the aesthetics of '76', and offer the same street appeal. The client was eager to capitalise on the leasing success of the initial building.

The space available for lease was compromised by the maximum two storey construction. This was further compounded by a challenging long and narrow commercial site. To maximise the available space, the designers opted for 'tilt-slab' construction. This allowed minimal ground floor columns and reduced the impact on office/retail layout, plus delivered clean interior lines.

 

Designing a welcoming and pleasant environment with plenty of natural daylight was an important outcome for both the client and designer.

 

When the client expanded the brief from one to three buildings, the constraints of the narrow site required creative thinking to minimise the risk of creating offices spaces with limited natural light. This was overcome by designing three stand-alone buildings, separated to provide light wells between the buildings. The light wells were installed on the first floor of each building to fill the core of the building with light and reduce any feeling of depth.

 

Natural daylight was also effectively employed in the central floating staircase and south facing windows with views of the Port Hills. The outcome is a light-filled office space that connects tenants with the outside environment. An added advantage of this design was the provision of covered cycle parks for the tenants.

 

 

 

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