This mixed use development occupies a corner site on the waterfront of Auckland’s eastern suburbs. The lower level contains car parking, a bank, restaurant and the main building entry, around a publicly accessible courtyard, at the centre of which is a rotating sculpture known as ‘The Seedling’. These lower level spaces have been raised 0.5 metres above street level to allow views over parked cars to the beach and water beyond. The middle level contains 5 commercial office suites and one residential apartment, while the upper level houses 4 residential apartments. The deep rectangular site is enclosed on two sides by adjoining developments, resulting in a planning concept based on 6 internal courtyards, in addition to the public courtyard on the northern frontage. The building is constructed entirely of off-white precast concrete panels, with hollow core precast floor panels. The concrete is left exposed to all external faces and internally to all common areas. Angled off-white glass reinforced concrete blades are employed on the east and west faces of the public courtyard for privacy and sun-shading, while maintaining views out to the water.

Photos by Daniel Mayne