Australian Awards for International Architecture  2014 – Australian Award for Interior Architecture

The interior of BVN Donovan Hill’s ASB building in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter continues the architect’s exploration of agile working; a philosophy they pioneered at Campus MLC more than 10 years ago.  The ASB interior benefits from being in a purpose-built structure, and the influence of internal planning and design is visible on the external envelope; an inner façade pushed and pulled by balconies and outer screening responding to double height internal workspaces. The office is organised by perpendicular atria, one above a common laneway bisecting the site at ground level, the other rising above the large open floor plate of level three. These day-lit volumes are used to great effect with crisscrossing bridges allowing visual connectivity between floors.

Level three in particular demonstrates the huge variety of settings demanded by agile working, a desk specialised for any purpose so that the user need adapt less. The harbour side location is referenced by breaking waves of fins defining a central café work zone. A large shared table in puddle blue touches a similarly painted bubble defining semi-enclosed meeting spaces. Bright colours signpost the collaborative areas while the base building palette is neutral grey, white and natural timber. Nautical theming is continued in the exposed treatment of ducting and power whilst sustainability is co-opted into the form with a ventilation funnel above the upper floors labelled ‘Rangitoto’, slightly mixing the metaphors.

ASB’s workplace is a rich and expertly detailed interior which evidently supports revolutionary work styles. In the deftness of its realisation it perhaps marks the crest of the agile working wave, and we look forward to BVN Donovan Hill’s next influential idea.

Fiona Nixon FRAIA

Invalid Displayed Gallery

Header photo by John Gollings